Mobster films are usually a decent bet for Hollywood. Fans of the genre flock to them with hopes that maybe this will be the next Godfather or Goodfellas. With that in mind, Warner Bros. is trying to attract some big names to a new organized crime film, Gangster Squad. Last December, the studio got Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland) to sign on to direct the script written by Warren Beall. Now, they are moving on to find some A-List actors to complete the bill.
According to Deadline, a formal offer to play the lead role of boxer-turned-gangster Mickey Cohen has been extended to Sean Penn, and the role of one of the two cops trying to bring him down has been offered to Ryan Gosling. Penn is a silver screen staple, usually good for a great performance and Gosling is one of the hottest actors right now in the business, coming off a solid performance in the critical darling Blue Valentine.
I think this could be a decent effort. I am always in the mood for more mafia films and there hasn’t been a decent one since The Departed, and even that didn’t live up to Scorcese’s best. This sounds more along the vein of The Untouchables, with a better cop actor than Kevin Costner.
Sean Connery ponders shooting Kevin Costner in the back on the set of The Untouchables.
The film will probably hinge more on the performance of Penn more than Gosling though. Penn did show hints of the complex cruelty required to play this type of role in his Oscar Winning turn in Mystic River.
Ruben Fleischer could be a good pick as a director, but the only thing I have seen him direct is Zombieland. Also, Warren Beall, even though his script made the 2010 Black List of best unproduced screenplays, I don’t know much about his writing. Hopefully, this project will deliver on its potential and this relatively new writing and directing talent will bring some refreshment to the genre.
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I definitely think Sean Penn will excel in this film. Going back further than Mystic River, Penn also played similar style roles in Bad Boys (not the Michael Bay movie) and State of Grace. Also I think Gosling is a very good actor but I’d like to see him move away from the indie and romance fare.
I’m sure the acting will be fine, but please, for the love of all that is holy, please choose a better name for the film. “Gangster Squad” is right up there with “Snakes on a Plane”…
I agree that the name sounds cheesy, but it doesn’t bother me as much because that is what the police named the task force that was put in place to take down the L.A. mob.