Could Someone, anyone, explain to me why “American Gangster” is a movie I am supposed to see?

Bottom line, yet another drug dealer movie. I see Black Folks acting and talking as if this is the next “Ben Hur” or something. Don’t get me wrong, I like gangsta movies. “The God Father” trilogy, “Good Fellas”, “King of New York” etc., but with all that’s going on, should we really be celebrating a black man as a drug dealer?

I’m just saying…what do you all think?

Comments

[Ensayn]

DJ, Agreed! I don't understand. Why not a movie about a Moses, Rameses, Hatshepsut, Oduduwa, Nzinga, Abubakari, Quezaqtl, Star Woman, Tecumseh, Taharqa!! Why should I care about a dope dealer? I have seen many of them come and go and most fall on their own swords. I hope someone has an answer I would love to see why we should care.

[Will]

I don't have a problem with people making a movie about a drug dealer. If anything it could be an interesting psychological study of a person driven into that life and the consequences they face. But I agree that they are not to be held up as anything to celebrate or, worse, emulate.

It's like all the people I see touting Scarface as a symbol of Hispanic pride. Never mind that the movie was about a murderous, drug-addicted criminal. (And the fact that the lead character was played by a white guy...)

In the end, I agree with the person who posted before me. Historical epics FTW.

[DJ Black Adam]

@Ensayn:

I agree, at this point of time, can we celebrate something POSITIVE. Like I said, I like a good gangster story, but come on, with the images that media portrays regarding Black men, and the way some brothers seem to have to exemplify the contorted image of what a Black male should be, I think we could find better stories to tell right about now.

[DJ Black Adam]

@Will:

"But I agree that they are not to be held up as anything to celebrate or, worse, emulate"

Yeah that's the thing, people seem to miss any moral to the story and just glorify the "gangsta". I'm jus' sayin'...

[MysTery]

'I don't have a problem with people making a movie about a drug dealer. If anything it could be an interesting psychological study of a person driven into that life and the consequences they face.'

This is the reason I am looking forward to seeing this movie. I am fascinated with people who have had that type of control on/or over people. It's crazy.

Just my opinion

[Ensayn]

I guess the feeling for me is that we have seen this before. We have had movies about these charactors many times over, even Denzel in Training Day was a similar charactor. We have seen New Jack City, Hustle and Flow I mean I could go on. It seems to me that we have a whole host of people we could that could be written about, have a screen play about.

[MysTery]

Well, lets not talk about what we could be doing and do it!! :) (I know I plan to) Until then other people will continue to do what they do...

[DJ Black Adam]

@Mystery:

Well I have a great screenplay (no pimps or gangstas) ready to be made into a film, a director, Line Producer, Director of Photography, crew and a GREAT Score...Please direct me to $750,000.00 (Seriously, I need 30 days to shoot, probobly make about $7,000,000, find a brotha some investors! :-)

[Lord Hannibal]

I would say it's just a movie, but the truth is that if you take a trip to the 'hood right now, you'll roll past legion Frank Lucas wannabes. This movie is going to do well because too many of our youth aspire to be gangstas.

[DJ Black Adam]

"This movie is going to do well because too many of our youth aspire to be gangstas."

Exactly LH, this is the problem, fueling a very serious fire in my opinion.