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| Review by Caitlyn Thompson |
Produced by Dan Lin, Kevin McCormick, Michael Tadross
Screenplay by Will Beall
Based on Tales from the Gangster Squad by Paul Lieberman
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
Starring Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Nick Nolte, Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Michael Peña, Robert Patrick
Warner Bros. / Rated R
Gangster Squadis the story of a team of misfit cops trying to defeat the biggest mobster in Los Angeles.
Mickey Cohen, played by Sean Penn, has intentions of complete dominion over the West Coast while his opposition, Sergeant Generic Irish Name (actually John O’Mara), played by Josh Brolin, is a war hero seeking his next righteous crusade—unfortunately, there is no personal vendetta introduced between the characters so it is difficult to care about the motive of either side. The fact that they mention Mickey Cohen is Jewish and relentlessly violent doesn’t add anything to the character, if it is supposed to be exceptional for the time period, it doesn’t prove itself valuable, character wise.
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