Gangster Squad

Movie: Gangster Squad

Genre: drama

Synopsis: This is set in Los Angeles in 1949.  The legal system in L.A. is rife with corruption.  Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) is a Chicago mobster who has moved to L.A. and is well into his goal of controlling crime all on the west coast.  He has much of the police force, judicial system, and politicians in his pocket and is considered untouchable.  Police Chief William Parker (Nick Nolte) assigns Sgt. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) to form a small group of trusted officers to do whatever needs to be done to put Cohen out of business – and to do this strictly off the books. What ensues is a prolonged, bloody, violent war with Micky Cohen and his gang.

My two cents: Not too well accepted by critics – but I kind of liked it.  I particularly liked the performances of Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling (as Sgt. Jerry Wooters, one of the ‘squad’), Mireille Enos (as Mrs. O’Mara), and especially Emma Stone as Mickey Cohen’s ‘moll’ and Jerry Wooter’s girl friend.

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