| Reviewed on 2013-01-11 |
|---|
| Rated | R |
| Received |  [3] out of 4 stars |
| Genre | Action / Crime / Drama |
| Website | |
|
| The mafia is taking over and they are no longer focusing their crime in Chicago. They have migrated west. In “Gangster Squad” crime boss Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is bringing his sociopath business trades to the coast. Set in the 1940′s and 50′s Mickey has Los Angeles running scared. Fear that his criminal ways are taking over. Nobody seems to be able to stop Mickey, not even law enforcement as there are several dirty cops to contest with.
Things are about to change. Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) enlists a fighter who he hopes will have just enough fire to chase down Mickey. Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) seems perfect for the job. He is instructed not to kill Mickey, as he will only be replaced by another boss. Instead he is ordered by the Chief to destroy his operation. Intercept in his dealings and demolish everything he touches.
This will be an intense and dangerous operation with only a select few officers. John is able to handpick his team. His friend who he tries to persuade in his warfare against Cohen is not as eager as John. Sgt. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gossling) tells John he is done fighting. That is until someone he cares for is caught in the gunfire. Once the team is assembled they will hit Mickey where it hurts. Finding where he is stashing his loot and taking it, rather burning every cent. Mickey is enraged and wants to know who is responsible so that he can dispose of them and their family.
As with any war you can expect only one winner. Can Mickey be outsmarted and will the good guys come out on top? “Gangster Squad” is an intriguing story that will entertain audiences. This is not your average gangster film when you put Sean Penn in the lead role. His charismatic psychopath performance was a scene stealer. Gossling and Brolin had great chemistry. The supporting cast which included Emma Stone (Grace), Anthony Mackie (Officer Coleman), Robert Patrick (Officer Max), Michael Pena (Officer Navidad), and Giovanni Ribisi (Officer Conway) offered the perfect mix to make for a great film. “Gangster Squad” is not a home run, but should not be overlooked this weekend at the box office. |
|
