The turf explored in Gangster Squad may not be entirely accurate to historical truth, but it sure looks like the world of the movie mobster: the basics are instantly recognizable if you've seen L.A. Confidential and The Untouchables. Take a post-World War II Los Angeles, plunge it in noir, drop a ruthless gangster into the mix, and let loose an extralegal squad of cops to break the mob's rule. The crime kingpin in question is Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn), and his LAPD adversaries include a detective so square his fedora appears permanently affixed to his skull (Josh Brolin)... and a ladies' man (Ryan Gosling) whose dalliance with Cohen's escort (Emma Stone) might not be the best idea for a smooth relationship. Their squad includes stalwart character actors such as Anthony Mackie, Michael Peña, Giovanni Ribisi, and an especially droll Robert Patrick. With all this talent on display, the movie must surely have some bang in its Tommy gun--but alas, director Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) has opted for a peculiarly lighthearted, bantering tone for much of the action, which sits oddly with the gun massacres and dismemberments on display. He's also got Sean Penn in full Actor mode, snorting and stamping and wearing his prosthetic nose like a badge of pride. All of which might make for a juicy piece of entertainment, if the film didn't keep tripping over its own clichés and periodically losing its momentum. (Gangster Squad was bumped from its original 2012 opening date after the mass shooting at a Colorado movie theater; a shootout scene set in a movie theater was cut and re-shot in a different location for the film's eventual January 2013 release.) --Robert Horton [show more]
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Crime drama set in the 1940s and '50s in Los Angeles inspired by the real life story of vicious mob boss Mickey Cohen and the LAPD officers who tried to bring him down. After moving to LA from the East Coast, Cohen (Sean Penn) has taken control of the town. A force to be reckoned with, he not only has his gang to do his bidding but a number of policemen and politicians are also under his command. Police Chief Bill Parker (Nick Nolte) instructs Sergeant John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) to wage war against Cohen and his men. With only a small squad which includes his colleague, Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), O'Mara attempts to regain control of the city. Meanwhile, Wooters gets involved with the mobster's girlfriend, Grace Faraday (Emma Stone), which, if discovered, will only serve to enrage Cohen further.
Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. An elite police squad fights to save the city of Los Angeles from a power-hungry East Coast mobster in this gritty police-detective film set in the 1940s, and based on Paul Lieberman's seven-part Los Angeles Times series TALES FROM THE GANGSTER SQUAD. Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, and Ryan Gosling star in a film directed by Ruben Fleischer (ZOMBIELAND), and featuring Nick Nolte, Michael Pe±a, Emma Stone, and Robert Patrick. Actors Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Giovanni Ribisi, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Jonny Coyne, Nick Nolte, Anthony Mackie, Mireille Enos, Frank Grillo, Robert Patrick, Josh Pence, Michael Peña, Derek Mears & Sullivan Stapleton Director Ruben Fleischer Certificate 15 years and over Year 2013 Languages English
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