American Gangster

Denzel Washington is the best actor there is. No question about it. He's had plenty of great performances including his performance in American Gangster. He made Frank Lucas look like a modern day Robin Hood. If you've read any of my other blogs, then you know I have a problem with something here. The glorification of the gangster lifestyle continues. To me, Denzel Washington is gangster. My dad is gangster. Single parents raising kids on their own are gangster. Students who pay their own way through college are gangster. People who get up and get to a job they hate every morning are gangster. I think I have a different definition of the word. Those characters from the movies and even some in real life were street smart and maybe even business men. I wish we would stop treating these guys like heroes. They tore communities up. Lives were destroyed and families disintegrated. I'll admit; one of my favorite movies is Godfather Pt. II. The movie was good. What can I say? That wasn't real though. That came from somebody's imagination. There are alot of people who would consider Scarface a classic. But the main character was an idiot...and the movie wasn't that good. So what am I getting at? Show both sides. If I kill somebody, there won't be a parade. I'm going to jail. Let's show that side too. All these guys eventually go down. They are a good example of what not to do and they give people an excuse to sell drugs, among other things. Because Frank Lucas or Micheal Corleone did it doesn't make it right. How about going to school and getting a job. Something about that just sounds so RIGHT. Doesn't it???