1/2
The horribly written, poorly directed Gangster Squad was originally intended for a fall 2012 theatrical release. However, due to a scene in the movie that featured a rampage in a movie theater, too close to the real-life movie theater massacre in Colorado, the movie studio shuffled the film’s releases so as to edit out the movie theater massacre scene.
A lot more should have been edited as Gangster Squad fails on almost every level.
A chronicle of the LAPD’s fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s, the movie features Ryan Gosling, (whom I used to love), in yet another monotone role. And Sean Penn in a wasted role, as well.
Sean Penn plays Brooklyn-born Jewish mob king Mickey Cohen who runs the show in Los Angeles, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, guns, hookers and, he hopes, 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 in his pocket. 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 (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart.
Sadly, you won’t care what happens to whom and will do yourself a big favor by skipping this movie in any way, shape or form – theater, DVD.
The only reason to see this dreck would be if your insomnia kicks in at 3 AM, and there is absolutely nothing else from which to choose on TV. You just may be able to bore yourself to sleep.
It’s atrocious – Tim Nasson
