Gangster Squad
2013 · Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Original language: English
- crime
- drama
- action
- thriller
The story
Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and — if he has his way — every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop… except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara and Jerry Wooters who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart.
What it’s like
Saturated period noir with a glossy, big-studio sheen: 1940s Los Angeles rendered in sunlit palm-lined boulevards, warm amber interiors, and neon-stained night streets, with the Griffith Observatory and sweeping city vistas recurring as pale, almost postcard-clean backdrops. The camera moves with energy, quick tracking shots and stylish set-piece compositions, while the cool blue-grey of the city's back alleys and the glamour of nightclub lounges sit side by side. The score leans on brassy jazz and punchy percussion that keeps the pulse up. Vibe: stylized, swaggering, tense but playful, a crime caper with a wink. Pacing is brisk, with repeated bursts of gunfire and street-level brawls that are frequent and fairly bloody, though more pulp than grim; there is some sexual content and a steady undercurrent of menace and cruelty tied to the mob's grip on the city. Good for a late-night watch with friends or a fan of period gangster films who wants polish and swagger over moral weight, and less suited to anyone seeking something gentle or restrained.
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