American Gangster (2007): cast, story & where to watch
2007 · Film · ★ 7.6
Released in 2007, American Gangster is a drama and crime film directed by Ridley Scott, running about 157 minutes. “There are two sides to the American dream.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.
Who’s in it. American Gangster stars Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas, Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Huey Lucas and Josh Brolin as Detective Trupo, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.6/10, American Gangster has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $266.5M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Netflix, YouTube TV and Netflix Standard with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch American Gangster page.
If you liked it. Fans of American Gangster tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch American Gangster (2007)?
- In US, American Gangster is available to stream on Netflix, YouTube TV and Netflix Standard with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is American Gangster worth watching?
- American Gangster holds an audience score of 7.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and crime. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in American Gangster?
- American Gangster stars Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Josh Brolin and Lymari Nadal.
- When was American Gangster released?
- American Gangster was released in 2007, with a runtime of about 157 minutes.