Gangster Squad

"Very Good"

Gangster Squad Review


This may be based on a true story, but the filmmakers never bother exploring the complexities of historical events, instead opting for a comic book-style approach that's entertaining but somewhat unsatisfying. Still, this style-over-substance approach at least produces a rollicking police thriller that's often a lot of fun to watch, packed with gifted actors who gleefully chomp through the scenery.

The setting is 1949 Los Angeles, where the notorious gangster Mickey Cohen (Penn) is launching a Chicago-style mob takeover of the city. The police chief (Nolte) is determined to stop him, but feels surrounded by corruption, so he hires straight-arrow detective John (Brolin) to head up a secret squad that will operate off the books to stop Cohen, whatever it takes. John's pregnant wife (Enos) isn't thrilled by this, but she helps him select his team: techie Conway (Ribisi), gunslinger Max (Patrick), hot-shot Coleman (Mackie) and quick-learning rookie Navidad (Pena). And then there's pretty-boy detective Jerry (Gosling), who courts danger by launching a fling with Mickey's moll Grace (Stone). Understandably, their task doesn't go smoothly.

Billed as the untold story of what really happened, the film ignores quite a few key facts while indulging in implausible plotting and overly colourful characterisations. In other words, it's impossible to believe anything we're watching, which eliminates all of the relevance and resonance that could have filled this story of police corruption, out-of-control capitalism and especially the use of illegal methods to do the right thing. Instead, the film is all shiny surfaces, with flashy production design, too-immaculate costumes and haircuts, and a plot that reduces a complex situation into a simplistic action movie narrative.

But there's a lot of fun to be had along the way, from the wildly inventive action scenes (such as a whooshing car chase in the pitch dark) to a hint of sexy chemistry between Gosling and Stone. And Penn hams it up marvellously, injecting some actorly heft along the way. But then everyone overplays their roles shamelessly, striking cool poses and barking out iconic lines that may keep us smiling but make us wonder about the clearly more interesting truth buried under this colourful, energetic romp.

Rich Cline



Gangster Squad

Facts and Figures

Genre: Action/Adventure

Run time: 113 mins

In Theaters: Friday 11th January 2013

Box Office USA: $46.0M

Box Office Worldwide: $105.2M

Budget: $60M

Distributed by: Warner Bros.

Production compaines: Langley Park Production, Lin Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 3.5 / 5

Rotten Tomatoes: 32%
Fresh: 62 Rotten: 132

IMDB: 6.8 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Producer: Dan Lin, Kevin McCormick,

Starring: as Mickey Cohen, as Sgt. Jerry Wooters, as Grace Faraday, as John O'Mara, as Bill Parker, as Conway Keeler, as Darryl Gates, as Jimmy reagan, as Coleman Harris, as Max Kennard, as Navidad Ramirez, as Connie O'Mara, as Karl Lockwood, as Rourke, James Landry Hébert as Mitch Racine, as Milk Skinned Blonde, Mick Betancourt as Detective Sgt. Will Hendricks, Mac Brandt as Bruiser, as Jimmy 'Bockscar' Knox, as Mike 'The Flea', as Giovanni Vacarezza, Anthony Molinari as Lorenzo Molinari, as Patty, Neil Koppel as Max Solomon, as Lt. Quincannon, as Neddy Herbert, as Johnny Stomp, as Wrevock, as Pete, as Judge Carter, Dennis Cockrum as Elmer Jackson, as Sheriff Biscailuz, Yvette Tucker as Carmen Miranda, as Bridge Goon, Jonny Coyne as Grimes, Eva La Dare as Dancer

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