Details from IMDB:
Gangster Squad (2013)
113 min - Action | Crime | Drama - 11 January 2013 (USA)
Ratings: 7.1/10 from 20,407 users Metascore: 40/100
Reviews: 100 user | 256 critic | 37 from Metacritic.com
Los Angeles, 1949: A secret crew of police officers led by two determined sergeants work together in an effort to take down the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen who runs the city.
Director:
Writers:
Will Beall, Paul Lieberman (book)
Stars:
Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone | See full cast and crew
Initial Thoughts:
Okay I’ll admit I was trying to see Django Unchained and it was sold out. (It’s been out over a month too!) So we ended up seeing this instead. I had heard mixed reviews but it had actors I liked and I do enjoy Mafia/crime movies (especially when based on true events) so we went in.
Main Points:
This is a part of L.A.’s history I didn’t know, the amount of gang activity and control of the city Mickey Cohen had in the late 1940’s. Most of the cast in this takes a good role and Emma Stone looks very hot and sexy here (I have a thing for redheads 
).
I liked the attention to details like the way people spoke then. There is dialogue that goes something like this, “you fellas can bend your ears, while I go bend my elbow”. She’s talking about smoking (which apparently everyone did in the 40’s) and talking, something people don’t say anymore.
It was nice to see Robert Patrick in a film, he’s someone I’ve always liked but you don’t see very often. I think the problem with the movie is that it’s very predictable (okay there is 1 surprise but even that one you see coming) and Mickey Cohen (at least the way Penn plays him) is a rather dull villain. Ryan Gosling (whom I like) also plays a rather predictable character and seems to coast through most of this movie on charm and looks.
Final Thoughts:
The action scenes in the movie are top notch and the final showdown at the Park Plaza hotel was a blast to watch. For those reasons and some mentioned above I have this a mild recommendation and a 7/10 
. There are better movies out there but if you’re in the mood for a gangster flick, this movie is worth a look.
Until next time (and yeah it will likely be another movie review) I am as always…
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Nice review. Good cast and story, however, the movie never really lives up to its full potential.
Hi there
thanks for the comment. Yeah I’m on agreement with you, it could have been better. Now “Django”! A masterpiece, I will post my review of it soon 