Rating: R/NR (violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality)
Length: 157/176 minutes

Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic)

ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1
FRENCH: Dolby Digital 5.1

English, French, Spanish

This is a story about a cop and the drug dealer he's after in NYC in the early 70's. The cop (Crowe) is chastised by his fellow officers for his honesty, most cops in NYC were corrupt as hell at this time, and is transferred to a drug unit largely due to the fact he's not corruptible. The drug king (Washington) goes from being the driver of the "boss" to being the boss by building a huge drug empire. We get to watch everything unfold from their two perspectives. This is all based on a true story.

This movie does not work if it doesn't have two strong and believable lead actors; fortunately this film has two in Russel Crowe and especially Denzel Washington. This movie will keep your attention from the opening scene to the final credits which, if you watch the Director's Cut, is almost three hours. The fact that it's based on a true story and the two real people are still alive and helped with the film give it even more credibility. If you would like to meet these people, check out the extras on Disc 2 after you watch the film. Fans of the Stephen King's movie "The Stand" will be pleasantly surprised to see who plays the drug king's mother.

This is a drug movie so seeing needles isn't all that surprising but still something I don't care for; I hate needles. I also found myself wanting to know more when the film ended. Ridley Scott could have filmed an additional 30-60 minutes and I would have still been glued to the TV. There are some more things I'd like to know about Frank Lewis that I won't mention to not spoil the movie.

• Audio Commentary with Director Ridley Scott and Writer Steven Zallian (Theatrical Version)
• "Fallen Empire": Making of Featurette
• "Case Files": Behind the Scenes Featurette
• Deleted Scenes Including an Alternate Opening

Free up approximately 4 hours and watch this movie followed by the making-of featurette. This may never be mentioned in the same sentence as "The Godfather", but I suspect it will often be mentioned in the same paragraph.

Ridley Scott   [Black Hawk Down, Blade Runner, G.I. Jane, Gladiator, Hannibal, Kingdom of Heaven, Matchstick Men]

Armand Assante - Dominic Cattano

[Gotti, Hoffa, The Odyssey, Striptease]

Josh Brolin - Detective Trupo

[Hollow Man, No Country For Old Men, Planet Terror]

Russell Crowe - Det. Richie Roberts

[A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, The Insider, L.A. Confidential, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, The Quick and the Dead (1995), Romper Stomper]

Ruby Dee - Mama Lucas

[The Stand]

Chiwetel Ejiofor - Huey Lucas

[Amistad, Dirty Pretty Things, Four Brothers, Serenity]

Skyler Fortgang - Michael Roberts

Cuba Gooding Jr. - Nicky Barnes

[Boyz n the Hood, Men of Honor, Outbreak, Pearl Harbor, Rat Race, The Tuskegee Airmen]

Malcolm Goodwin - Jimmy Zee

Carla Gugino - Laurie Roberts

[Michael, Righteous Kill, Rise: Blood Hunter, Watchmen]

John Hawkes - Det. Freddie Spearman

[Identity, Miami Vice, The Perfect Storm]

Ted Levine - Det. Lou Toback

[Evolution, The Fast and the Furious, Heat, The Hills Have Eyes (2006), Silence of the Lambs, Wild Wild West]

Lymari Nadal - Eva

RZA - Moses Jones

Ruben Santiago-Hudson - Doc

[The Devil's Advocate, Shaft (2000)]

Roger Guenveur Smith - Nate

[Final Destination]

Yul Vazquez - Alphonse Abruzzo

[Bad Boys II, War of the Worlds (2005)]

Denzel Washington - Frank Lucas

[The Bone Collector, Crimson Tide, Glory, Malcolm X, Man on Fire, The Siege]