Gangsters and Thugs

I had the opportunity yesterday afternoon to see the film Gangster Squad. This film, starring Ryan Gosling and Sean Penn (do you really want me to name them all? Really? They're not that important to the film's integrity. Also, Brandon, you're right. Ryan Gosling is a pretty man) is about 5 policeman in 1940's Los Angeles that are recruited to go off the grid and take down a local crime boss named Mickey Cohen played by Sean Penn.

About the first 40 minutes of the movie, I was hating it. All characters were just your typical cliche 1940s detectives/criminals saying the same cliche 1940s detective /criminal lines. Shortly after, there was a scene in which Ryan Gosling's character flips a 180 and the Gangster Squad goes through their transformation. This is when the film got to be watchable. Like I mentioned before, most of the other members of the Gangster Squad weren't that incredible to the team. I felt that they were there to support the idea that more than 2 guys were needed to take down Mickey Cohen.

Which brings me to my next topic. Let's talk about Sean Penn. Throughout the film, I was waiting for Penn's character to show his own unique personality and not just one of , as my grandpa would say, "a bad dude". He, like the other characters at first, was going through the cliche rhythms. After the Gangster Squad went through their transformation, I was hoping Cohen would do the same. I never felt this happened at any point during the film. They might as well have been chasing Mickey Cohen through a haunted amusement park only to pull off his mask at the end and reveal his true identity.

Don't get me wrong, overall it wasn't a bad movie. It is a typical shoot-em up gangster film with a pretty lead man that had its moments of badassery and originality. At the most I would say if you have a few extra bucks go see this one in the theater. Will I be buying this one on blu ray when it comes out? Probably not. It is however worth at least a one-time watch.

If you feel that my opinion of this movie is off, please feel free to comment and correct me, at which time, I will probably tell you to go to hell.

I'm out.