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Lin Pictures
Village Roadshow Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures
Not part of a collection.
No names. No badges. No mercy.
Los Angeles, 1949. Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen runs the show in this town, reaping the ill-gotten gains from the drugs, the guns, the prostitutes and — if he has his way — every wire bet placed west of Chicago. And he does it all with the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the police and the politicians who are under his control. It’s enough to intimidate even the bravest, street-hardened cop… except, perhaps, for the small, secret crew of LAPD outsiders led by Sgt. John O’Mara and Jerry Wooters who come together to try to tear Cohen’s world apart.
John Chard
Mar 9, 2014 · via TMDB
Rat-a-tat-tat! Gangster Squad is directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Will Beal. It stars Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, Robert Patrick and Michael Pena. Music is by Steve Jablonski and cinematography by Dion Beebee. Los Angeles is being brought to its knees by crime boss Mickey Cohen (Penn). In one of the darkened offices of the police department, a special squad of officers is being assembled. Given free licence to bring Cohen and his operations down by any means necessary, the Gangster Squad fight fir with fire. Loosely based on real life facts, Gangster Squad is a good old slice of machine gun etiquette. An all star cast get to play good guys and wise guys in The Untouchables tradition, even if that in itself can’t quite lift the film to the higher echelons of gangster movies past and present. There’s absolutely nothing new here, it plays out as expected. Brolin and Gosling are the main smooth operators in the good guys camp, the former given the family man in danger sub-plot, the latter given the dangerous dame to fall in love with in the shapely form of Emma Stone, who as it happens is also dating Cohen! hmm... Over in the wise guys department is Penn on full tilt sweary and hammy overdrive. It’s a very colourful portrayal, menacing and completely over the top. How the performance sits with you will greatly depend on how you find Penn as an actor when let loose on a cartoon characterisation. It’s all very period pleasing, with a bustling late 40s L.A. hosting men with hats, trench coats and tommy-guns. Men who frequent the speakeasy bars as torch singers warble their stuff. There is nothing wrong with the production at all, except maybe when the dialogue veers to clunky. The action scenes are well crafted, loud, bloody and exciting, and the photography sparkles and the music soars. If only the makers had put some thought into it, a bit of brains to go with the brawn. As a comic book type gangster piece, it works well on entertainment terms, elsewhere its lightweight and formula compliant , with the Ribisi, Patrick and Pena characters telegraphed a mile away. So, quite some way away from the great The Untouchables then, but better than Mullholland Falls. Make of that what you will. 6.5/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Josh Brolin
John O'Mara
Ryan Gosling
Sgt. Jerry Wooters
Sean Penn
Mickey Cohen
Nick Nolte
Bill Parker
Emma Stone
Grace Faraday
Anthony Mackie
Coleman Harris
Giovanni Ribisi
Conway Keeler
Robert Patrick
Max Kennard
Michael Peña
Navidad Ramirez
Mireille Enos
Connie O'Mara
Troy Garity
Wrevock
Holt McCallany
Karl Lockwood
Sullivan Stapleton
Jack Whalen
James Carpinello
Johnny Stomp
James Landry Hébert
Mitch Racine
Evan Jones
Neddy Herbert
Josh Pence
Darryl Gates
John Aylward
Judge Carter
Jack Conley
Sheriff Biscailuz
Jack McGee
Lt. Quincannon
Jon Polito
Dragna
Austin Abrams
Pete
Michael Bacall
Comanche
Lance Barber
Comanche
Scott Beehner
Club Figaro Reporter
De'Aundre Bonds
Duke Del-Red
Mac Brandt
Bruiser
Ambyr Childers
Milk Skinned Blonde
Dennis Cockrum
Elmer Jackson
Maxwell Perry Cotton
Keeler's Son
Jonny Coyne
Grimes
Lucy Davenport
Slapsy Maxie's Singer
Darrell Davis
Officer Wyler
Anthony De Longis
Burbank Jail Thug
Christopher Doyle
Edgar Beaumont
Lucas Fleischer
Club Figaro Reporter
Mickey Giacomazzi
Hatchetman
Dale Gibson
Burbank Cop
Derek Graf
El Dorado Guard
Tom Hallick
El Dorado Investor
Don Harvey
Officer Funston
Austin Highsmith Garces
Patty
Matt Knudsen
Club Figaro Reporter
Anne Leighton
Crying Woman
Neil Koppel
Max Solomon
Michael C. Mahon
Citz Hall Reporter
Rick Marcus
Burbank Cop
Derek Mears
Bridge Goon
Cazimir Milostan
Desk Officer
Brandon Molale
Jimmy 'Bockscar' Knox
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Lorenzo Molinari
Riel Paley
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Esther Scott
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Haley Strode
Keeler's Wife
Wade Williams
Rourke
Jeff Wolfe
Giovanni Vacarezza
Danny Wynands
Grenade Goon
Eboni 'Chrystal' Adams
Dancer
Tiffany Daniels
Dancer
Hilary Fleming
Dancer
Asiel Hardison
Dancer
Scott Hislop
Dancer
Eva La Dare
Dancer
Stephanie Landwehr
Dancer
Marcy McCusker
Dancer
Chris Moss
Dancer
Jared Murillo
Dancer
Kelleia Sheerin
Dancer
Lizzy Watts
Dancer
Christopher Aber
Reporter (uncredited)
Bill Blair
Casino Gambler (uncredited)
Bob Bouchard
Movie Patron (uncredited)
Freedom Bridgewater
Bartender (uncredited)
Eddie Davenport
Goon Gunman (uncredited)
Isabel Dresden
Hedy Lamarr (uncredited)
Ken Edling
Detective (uncredited)
Chelsea Edmundson
Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Leni Ford
Rich Widow (uncredited)
Debby Gerber
Plaza Runner (uncredited)
Tanner Gill
Hookey Rothman (uncredited)
Nick Gligor
Slapsy Maxie's Waiter (uncredited)
Louise Griffiths
Screaming Woman (uncredited)
Frank Grillo
Russo (uncredited)
Elizabeth Howell
Lady of the Night (uncredited)
Pat Jankiewicz
Nico (uncredited)
Kristen Marie Kelly
Girl at Nightclub (uncredited)
Jess King
Thug (uncredited)
Elaine Lockhart
Bar Patron (uncredited)
Marlene Manes
Gangster Girl (uncredited)
Nancy McCrumb
Betty Page (uncredited)
Mason McCulley
Caroler (uncredited)
Kat Munday
Drugged Out Girl #2
Stephane Nicoli
LAPD Officer (uncredited)
Michael Ouellette
Detective (uncredited)
Don Pecchia
Mob Boss (uncredited)
Geoff Pilkington
Angry Guy in Park (uncredited)
Frank Scozzari
Mickey's Thug #1 (uncredited)
Robert Sisko
Slapsy Maxie's Waiter (uncredited)
John H. Tobin
Actor (uncredited)
Lucy Walsh
Manicurist (uncredited)
Carol Kiefer
Art Department Coordinator
Gene Serdena
Set Decoration
Caleb Deschanel
Additional Photography
Dion Beebe
Director of Photography
Mary Zophres
Costume Design
Fríða Aradóttir
Hairstylist
Christien Tinsley
Makeup Department Head
Brian Machleit
Stunt Coordinator
Doug Coleman
Stunt Coordinator
Gary Hymes
Stunt Coordinator
Terry Leonard
Stunt Coordinator
Kevin L. Jackson
Stunt Double
Adam Hart
Stunts
Alex Chansky
Stunts
Brian Duffy
Stunts
Chino Binamo
Stunts
Chris Carnel
Stunts
Colin Follenweider
Stunts
Collin Hymes
Stunts
Craig Baxley Jr.
Stunts
Craig Branham
Stunts
Dan Brown
Stunts
Daniel Stevens
Stunts
Denney Pierce
Stunts
Doc Duhame
Stunts
Efka Kvaraciejus
Stunts
Eliza Coleman
Stunts
Erik Rondell
Stunts
Erik Stabenau
Stunts
J.J. Perry
Stunts
Jess King
Stunts
Jose Vasquez
Stunts
Kurt Bryant
Stunts
Malosi Leonard
Stunts
Mark Ginther
Stunts
Mark Norby
Stunts
Marque Ohmes
Stunts
Matt Leonard
Stunts
Nancy McCrumb
Stunts
Paul E. Short
Stunts
Peter Epstein
Stunts
Richard Burden
Stunts
Richard Cetrone
Stunts
Rick Avery
Stunts
Sam Hargrave
Stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel
Stunts
Shauna Duggins
Stunts
Stacey Carino
Stunts
Steve DeCastro
Stunts
Tanner Gill
Stunts
Thayr Harris
Stunts
Todd Schneider
Stunts
Whitney Coleman
Stunts
Helena Barrett
Utility Stunts
Ruben Fleischer
Director
Kerry Lyn McKissick
Script Supervisor
Terry Leonard
Second Unit Director
John Papsidera
Casting
Bruce Berman
Executive Producer
Ruben Fleischer
Executive Producer
Dan Lin
Producer
Kevin McCormick
Producer
Michael Tadross
Producer
Nick Glennie-Smith
Conductor
Steve Jablonsky
Original Music Composer
Dean A. Zupancic
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Will Beall
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Jan 11, 2013
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The Stranglers - Live '78, SF
1978
Saddle Leather Law
1944
Sign in to vote
Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
Halloween
1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
Trivia
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Guess the movie from a clue — tagline, plot, cast and more. Pick from four posters.
What movie experience do you prefer?
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