Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert

This is an engrossing story, told smoothly and well, and Russell Crowe's contribution is enormous.

New York Post by Lou Lumenick

Denzel Washington dazzles in his best screen performance to date as Frank Lucas.

Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan

Finely made and richly satisfying film.

Washington Post by Stephen Hunter

It has the aspirations of an epic of crime and punishment, a superb feel for time and milieu, and an almost subliminal feel for myth.

Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov

Crowe has rarely been better, and the same goes for director Scott, who parallels and then dovetails Lucas and Roberts' stories with sublime, gritty precision, working up to a magnificent "Godfather III"-style crosscutting sequence that electrifies an already explosive tale.

Miami Herald by René Rodríguez

What American Gangster does have -- what makes it such a commanding, exhilarating movie -- is a consummate love and understanding of story.

USA Today by Claudia Puig

The movie, based on a true story, takes surprising twists and turns right up to its chilling ending and is probably the best gangster crime drama of the year.

Rolling Stone by Peter Travers

Call it the black "Scarface" or "the Harlem Godfather" or just one hell of an exciting movie.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer by William Arnold

A riveting piece of movie storytelling, mounted with a genuinely epic flair, shot and edited in a no-nonsense, classic style.

The A.V. Club by Tasha Robinson

Only Washington stands out; he's charming, intense, and charismatic as ever.