In American Gangster Ridley Scott brings to the screen the true story of 1970s Harlem heroin smuggler Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington)and the incorruptible federal investigator (Russell Crowe)who sets out to bring him to justice.

The film begins as Lucas takes over the 'business' when legendary Harlem gangster Bumpy Johnson dies.

Seeing a gap in the market, he sets up a deal to import pure heroin from the jungles of Thailand, smuggled via US military planes returning from the Vietnam War.

Click here to view American Gangster trailer.

Undercutting the competition by offering a higher quality product at a lower price, Lucas is soon coining in the cash while keeping a low profile.

Lucas begins to develop the business and starts importing pure heroin under his own brand 'Blue Magic', and before long has become the biggest dealer in Harlem.

But Lucas is unaware that his downfall is being orchestrated by Roberts, whose reputation for honesty - he found $1m in unmarked notes and handed them in- led to him being outcast from his colleagues, and given a job investigating the new phenomenon of Blue Magic.

As the film draws to a close, the pair approach a confrontation in which only one of them can come out on top.

The film doesn't quite match the levels of Scorses, but is still an enjoyable gangster movie that you can get your teeth into.

Click here for American Gangster showtimes at Odeon Silverlink.