Release Date: January 11, 2013
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Giovanni Ribisi, Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Anthony Mackie, Nick Nolte, Robert Patrick, Michael Pena, Mireille Enos
MPAA Rating: R
Official Websites: GANGSTER SQUAD
Gangster Squad Movie Review: Not Available
Blu-ray Release Date: Not Available
Blu-ray Review: Not Available
Movie News: GANGSTER SQUAD movie news
Movie Trailer: GANGSTER SQUAD movie trailer
Gangster Squad Film Review, Synopsis, Plot: GANGSTER SQUAD is based on a seven-part Los Angeles Times article and eventual book entitled “Tales of the Gangster Squad” by Paul Lieberman. The story takes place in the 1940’s and 1950’s in the city of Los Angeles. During this time the East Coast Mafia moved to the West Coast and was led by the infamous mobster “Jewish Mafia” head Meyer Harris “Mickey” Cohen (played by Sean Penn) and his gang of thugs. Using the streets of Los Angeles as his playground by reaping gains from drugs, prostitutes and guns, Mickey Cohen ruled the city with no end in sight. The mob disrupted the streets of LA and Mickey Cohen had the majority of the LAPD on his payroll and things were getting bad, until a couple of the “clean” cops named John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) decided to take it upon himself to clean up the streets in their own way. They formed a small squad of fellow cops who took matters into their own hands in order to keep their city safe and these men were known as the Gangster Squad.
The Originally, we would have thought we’d have a GANGSTER SQUAD review up in early September, when the film was originally slated to hit theaters. But in conintuing with the horrible summer for Warner Bros., it turns out that the film features a scene where a group of gunmen open fire on a movie theater audience. Because of the theater shooting in Aurora, CO during THE DARK KNIGHT RISES opening weekend, not only did that scene have to be pulled, but Warner Bros. had to push the date from September to January. The move itself was met with mixed reactions, while some people applauded the move as being sensitive to the victims, others thought it was just validating the murder’s actions.
Even before the shooting, it never seemed like Warner Bros. knew what they had on their hands with GANGSTER SQUAD. With a cast including Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling and Emma stone (among many others), and featuring a story reminiscent of L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, many thought that the film would find Oscar success or at the very least pick up a few awards during awards season. But a January release means the studio has zero awards aspirations. That might lead one to question the job Ruben Fleischer (ZOMBIELAND) has done since this is his first film with such a talented cast.
GANGSTER SQUAD Trailer:
