I love action movies. Nothing’s better than a thrilling car chase. A well-choreographed shootout can give any ballet a run for its money. And explosions? The bigger, the better. With these qualifications, “Gangster Squad” succeeds as a 40’s action flick. Although it has good guys quipping know-it-all remarks as they waste the bad guys, a grenade-fueled car chase and plenty of gunplay, it tries to force drama and ask moralistic questions that are misplaced in an action film.
Now, don’t worry; the film isn’t all action. Ryan Gosling. Isn’t that all you need? He stands out as the hard-drinking, chain-smoking sidekick to Josh Brolin. And while our administration likes to think of these traits as negative, Gosling makes them seem so very cool. In a scene where he speaks to Brolin’s pregnant wife in her kitchen, their eyes share an almost minimal affair even while discussing her husband’s safety.
The real affair, and best relationship in the film, is between Gosling and Emma Stone, who plays Mickey Cohen’s mistress. Their first interaction has Gosling ordering a “Dirty Shirley” while claiming to be a Bible salesman, but not one you’d expect to find at Pepperdine’s May lecture series. The chemistry shines between the two through a film with otherwise forgettable characters.
“Gangster Squad” also succeeds in recreating the glorified LA of another era. The cars, clothes and music are spot-on for the post-WWII experience. Audiences catch a nice glimpse of the “Hollywoodland” sign (the film takes place before Walt Disney stole the “-land” for himself); Mickey Cohen stands just behind it as he chains a rival mobster between two cars as a form of execution. And as residents of Southern California, we’ll appreciate the homage to the city. The squad members risk their lives to defend the integrity of the City of Angels and enjoy mocking Burbank in the process.
With a cast of Nick Nolte, Brolin and Sean Penn, there is something big to be expected of these characters, and unfortunately, audiences just don’t get it. I don’t fault the actors — they do well with the material.
I fault the director. Brolin is at his best barking orders and acting as the quarterback for the team of officers. But when he interacts with his superiors, his character seems flat. The film tries to present a dilemma in Brolin’s obligation to his wife. Why would he go risk his life when he has a pregnant wife? I’ll tell you why: entertainment value.
This forced drama is evident elsewhere, as well. At one point, one of the squad members questions if their actions make them any better than the mobsters they’re chasing down. This works for some films, but in a movie where stylized action is the selling point, it feels forced. And after seeing Cohen’s henchmen drive a power-drill through a man’s skull, the question of moral ambiguity is clearly answered — the line is fairly distinct between the good guys and bad guys.
This clear distinction hurts Penn’s character, Mickey Cohen. If he were directed to be more charming, it would help his sadism, but he is played as just a mean, angry man. There is a gravity in seeing Penn slam a table in a restaurant and claim owning LA is his destiny, but we never see anything different from him. The character is so one-sided that we never see Penn’s full potential.
Arguably, the strongest part of this movie is its cast, and that is the same reason it lets us down. If this movie had Jason Statham and a few supporting players from “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, it might have been better received. Unfortunately, the audience is left with dramatic cliches, characters we’re supposed to care about but don’t and Ryan Gosling. But at least we get Ryan Gosling, right?
