Film Review – Gangster Squad

“Gangster Squad” shoots itself in the foot right out of the gate by
suggesting the movie is somehow rooted in fact. Sure, there was a mafia
figure known as Mickey Cohen, and yes, he certainly had an interest in
dominating Los Angeles, but the rest of this picture is more cartoon
than history. While adapting a true crime book by author Paul Lieberman,
the production doesn’t know when to stick with the facts or create its
own narrative, fumbling an engaging take on mob warfare and police
desperation by trying to turn it all into a stylized, overly emphatic
actioner, complete with blazing Tommy guns, professional wrestling-style
performances, and a simplified conflict to extract the most machismo.
“Gangster Squad” disappoints in a big bad way. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com