
Financial Times
So catastrophically juvenile and style-fixated there is no detectable trace of any talent involved.
Full reviewRyan Gosling, Emma Stone, Josh Brolin and Sean Penn star in this 1940s chronicle of the LAPD’s battle with the East Coast Mob. Helmed by Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer. The story is based on fact, revealed in a series of LA Times articles by Paul Lieberman.
In late '40s LA, the ruthless, Brooklyn-born mafia king Mickey Cohen (Penn) wears the crown, spinning a fortune from drugs, guns, prostitutes and—if he has his way—every wire bet placed on America's west coast. Despite doing so under the protection of his mob, aided by corrupt local police and politicians, a small crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara (Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Gosling), come together to try and bring Cohen down - prepared to do whatever it takes, even if that means going beyond the letter of the law.
LessSo catastrophically juvenile and style-fixated there is no detectable trace of any talent involved.
Full reviewAttempts to recreate mobster magic, but ends up fumbling into an endless amount of cliches and some horrid digital photography to boot.
Full reviewSleek, stylish but superficial. Easy on the eye, even easier on the brain, it doesn't last long in the memory.
Full reviewWould have been more fun as an animated feature, with fanciful animals in the principal roles.
Full reviewFor all the guns and gore, it's as breezy and uncritical as a tale from the True Detective magazine that the cops can't help reading.
Full reviewLittle more than another Hollywood wannabe overshadowed by the legacy of "L.A. Confidential"...
Full reviewThese are good actors, but aside from Brolin and Gosling, they're barely given any special moments of their own to make their marks here.
Full reviewSean Penn's not been this fun since Jeff Spicoli and there's plenty of rip-roaring action, but proves a minor entry in the annals of LA noir.
Full reviewGangster Squad is available to stream in Australia now on Stan and Netflix and Google Play and Apple TV.
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