American Gangster, an epic crime movie starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, and directed by Ridley Scott, tells the compelling true story of Harlem crime boss Frank Lucas, leading many viewers to seek out other films like it. The film was a box office success, but hasn't reached the same levels of popularity as other films in the same genre, or from the same director or stars. Nevertheless, the film is sufficiently engaging that many audiences are interested in watching other crime movies like American Gangster.

The 2007 film is based on the true story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), a drug trafficking criminal who rose to prominence in the '60s and '70s, and the investigation into his affairs by Detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). The film can be categorized into the genre of epic crime, which typically describes longer dramas surrounding the rise and fall of a criminal, usually employed with ensemble casts that show crime at its highest level. For those wishing to continue their exploration of the genre, there are some exciting movies like American Gangster to enjoy.

15 Public Enemies (2009)

Directed By Michael Mann

American Gangster is a thriller period crime drama that highlights the gritty crime world of 1970s New York City. Public Enemies is another period story, albeit one that takes audiences even further back in time. Johnny Depp stars in Public Enemies as John Dillinger, the famed bank robber who became something of a folk hero in the 1930s and one of the most wanted men in America, alongside fellow criminals like Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd.

Like American Gangster, the criminal is put at the forefront of this story with Dillinger mirroring the depiction of Frank Lucas. Both men are shown to be charismatic people who inspire love among typical citizens. However, neither movie shies away from the realities of their crimes and the fact that they were cold-blooded killers. Also, like Russell Crowe in American Gangster, Christian Bale plays the honest lawman hunting down Dillinger.

14 Blow (2001)

Directed By Ted Demme

Johnny Depp stars in another crime movie that is similar to American Gangster in a number of ways. Blow finds Depp playing real-life drug kingpin George Jung, a man deadset on not falling into bankruptcy the way his father did, and decides to turn to a life in the illegal drug trade. However, his ambitions are set high as he forms a connection with Pablo Escobar and helps open up the cocaine trade in the United States.

American Gangster follows Frank Lucas' rise in the drug world with his success shown to be his willingness to take that step further than his competitors. Frank's journey to Cambodia to secure relationships with the manufacturers mirrors Jung's risky and profitable business strategy that put him right at the center of the drug trade with some of its most dangerous players.

13 Carlito's Way (1993)

Directed By Brian De Palma

Part of the fun of American Gangster is seeing Frank Lucas rise to power. Working as a henchman for famed gangster Bumpy Johnson, Lucas was not seen as a true contender to take over when his boss died. However, he proves to be more than up for the challenge, taking out anyone foolish enough to stand in his way while also building the empire that will eventually come crashing down on him.

It is a thrilling crime story of an ambitious criminal who doesn't know when to stop.

This is a similar journey taken in Carlito's Way. Serving almost as a spiritual sequel to Scarface, Carlito's Way reunites Al Pacino and Brian De Palma in the story of a gangster who gets out of prison after years and begins putting his life back together. Torn between taking a clean path from now on and reclaiming the criminal life he had, he soon finds himself surrounded by danger at every corner. It is a thrilling crime story of an ambitious criminal who doesn't know when to stop.

12 The Departed (2006)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Seeing Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe going head-to-head in a cops and gangsters story is a true thrill that is reminiscent of Martin Scorsese's Best Picture winner, The Departed. The star-studded The Departed is led by Leonardo DiCaprio as an undercover Boston cop who has infiltrated the Irish mob, led by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). However, Costello already has his own mole (Matt Damon) in the police department, seeking out the spy.

The Departed is much more of a cop thriller than the gangster story that American Gangster presents. However, DiCaprio and Damon make for a great A-list duo to face off on the opposite sides of the law. Like American Gangster, it is a story of police corruption and the complexities of gangster characters while also being a thrilling crime saga that costars Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, and Alec Baldwin.

11 Lord Of War (2005)

Directed By Andrew Niccol

American Gangster sets out to do the very difficult task of making an unrepentant criminal and murderer the protagonist of the story. This is also the approach taken in the underrated crime movie Lord of War. Nicolas Cage stars in one of his best roles as Yuri Orlov, an unscrupulous man of business who becomes a power player in the world of international arms trade, gradually losing his soul while making a lot of money.

While Lucas and Orlov deal in different worlds, they are both brilliant and ambitious leaders who are willing to go the extra mile to be the best at what they do. It is fascinating following such evil and remorseless characters yet still be compelled by them. Orlov differs from Lucas as he is not a man of violence, yet his work contributed to more deaths than he could even imagine.

10 Scarface (1983)

Directed By Brian De Palma

Brian De Palma's crime epic, Scarface, follows a similar story pattern as American Gangster, centered around Miami drug kingpin Tony Montana's rise and fall. The film is loosely adapted from the 1932 film of the same name, following Montana's vicious ascension to becoming a drug lord.

Part of the fun of American Gangster is seeing how Lucas rose to the top of the game following the death of Bumpy Johnson. Though his rivals overlooked him, like Tony, he proved them all wrong. Unlike with Frank Lucas, Tony Montana's fall from power in Scarface isn't proceeded by a detailed criminal investigation. Instead, the film hones in on Montana's self-destruction, as his drug use and failure to act diplomatically make his reign come to a premature, bloody end.

9 Heat (1995)

Directed By Michael Mann

Michael Mann's Heat follows a similar commercial model as American Gangster, as it's a crime epic centered around two movie stars playing opposing characters. Heat explores the psychological relationship between the criminal lead, played by Robert De Niro, and his cop pursuer, played by Al Pacino. Like Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in American Gangster, the two leads only really share one scene together, but their dynamic on screen makes it the movie's most memorable moment.

Rather than drug dealing, the central crimes in Heat are heists, leading to some incredible shootouts and action sequences that add a thriller element that American Gangster doesn't have. Commonly considered to be one of the greatest crime films ever, Heat's legacy presides mainly on featuring crime movie legends Pacino and De Niro together in some of their best roles.

8 Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

Directed By Sergio Leone

Truly an epic in both its scale of drama and its four-hour run time, Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America continued the director's line of exceptional work, for the first time in the crime genre. While the film has received some justified criticism for its disturbing sexual assault scenes, there are still reasons for a fan of the genre to dive into this epic crime movie. Plus, its setting and themes make it an interesting companion piece to Scott's epic.

The film explores the mysticism of urban crime, as well as ideas about nostalgia that are captured perfectly by the use of historic New York City imagery and period costumes, much like American Gangster. While Denzel Washington's charm and the story of American Gangster make Frank Lucas an easily watchable character, Robert De Niro's portrayal of the protagonist "Noodles," in Once Upon a Time in America is far more challenging to sympathize with. As such, both films offer a different viewing experience.

7 Casino (1995)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Like 1970s Harlem in American Gangster, Martin Scorsese's Casino offers a unique look at its own, relatively unexplored world of organized crime in Las Vegas. Similarly to Goodfellas, Casino explores a conflict primarily between criminals, revolving around the implosion of the main character Sam "Ace" Rothstein's career.

While the sources of drama in Casino are very different from American Gangster, Ridley Scott's inspiration from Scorsese's crime films is clear with the use of music and pacing. It is a thrill seeing both Rothstein and Lucas build their criminal enterprises out of their own cleverness, despite the violent mayhem they are causing. Between Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci and James Woods, Casino's cast is easy to love, offering a similar complexity to American Gangster, in that it's easy for audiences to find themselves rooting for the bad guys.

6 The Irishman (2019)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Another crime epic that earns its name due to its length, The Irishman is one of the more obscure entries to the genre due to its use of technology. While star-driven crime thrillers aren't as common in modern filmmaking, Martin Scorsese managed to turn back time with his 2019 film, literally using CGI to de-age stars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci.

The Irishman tells the story of a real, American crime mystery, giving its perspective on the still unsolved legend of Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance. Whether that perspective is true is still undetermined. For fans of American Gangster who enjoyed delving into a chapter of recent American history, The Irishman is worth a watch. They both delve into periods of organized crime in America in fascinating ways while exploring the idea of the gangster lifestyle being confronted with the realities of the harm they cause.