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Gangster Squad

  • 20132013
  • RR
  • 1h 53min
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
210K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,986
343
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone in Gangster Squad (2013)
A chronicle of the LAPD's fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s.
Play trailer2:26
3 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionCrimeDrama

It's 1949 Los Angeles, the city is run by gangsters and a malicious mobster, Mickey Cohen. Determined to end the corruption, John O'Mara assembles a team of cops, ready to take down the ruth... Read allIt's 1949 Los Angeles, the city is run by gangsters and a malicious mobster, Mickey Cohen. Determined to end the corruption, John O'Mara assembles a team of cops, ready to take down the ruthless leader and restore peace to the city.It's 1949 Los Angeles, the city is run by gangsters and a malicious mobster, Mickey Cohen. Determined to end the corruption, John O'Mara assembles a team of cops, ready to take down the ruthless leader and restore peace to the city.

IMDb RATING
6.7/10
210K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,986
343
  • Director
    • Ruben Fleischer
  • Writers
    • Will Beall
    • Paul Lieberman(book "Gangster Squad")
  • Stars
    • Sean Penn
    • Ryan Gosling
    • Emma Stone
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ruben Fleischer
  • Writers
    • Will Beall
    • Paul Lieberman(book "Gangster Squad")
  • Stars
    • Sean Penn
    • Ryan Gosling
    • Emma Stone
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 324User reviews
    • 358Critic reviews
    • 40Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 nominations

    Videos3

    U.S. Version #1
    Trailer 2:26
    U.S. Version #1
    Gangster Squad
    Trailer 2:25
    Gangster Squad
    What Roles Has Emma Stone Turned Down?
    Full Episode 3:13
    What Roles Has Emma Stone Turned Down?

    Photos241

    Emma Stone in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Sean Penn, Holt McCallany, Jon Polito, and Emma Stone in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Sean Penn and Josh Brolin in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Sean Penn and Ruben Fleischer in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Robert Patrick, Ryan Gosling, and Michael Peña in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Sean Penn and Jon Polito in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Sean Penn and Josh Brolin in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, and Josh Pence in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Josh Brolin, Robert Patrick, Ryan Gosling, Michael Peña, and Anthony Mackie in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Emma Stone in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling in Gangster Squad (2013)
    Sean Penn in Gangster Squad (2013)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sean Penn
    Sean Penn
    • Mickey Cohenas Mickey Cohen
    Ryan Gosling
    Ryan Gosling
    • Sgt. Jerry Wootersas Sgt. Jerry Wooters
    Emma Stone
    Emma Stone
    • Grace Faradayas Grace Faraday
    Giovanni Ribisi
    Giovanni Ribisi
    • Officer Conwell Keeleras Officer Conwell Keeler
    Holt McCallany
    Holt McCallany
    • Karl Lockwoodas Karl Lockwood
    Wade Williams
    Wade Williams
    • Rourkeas Rourke
    James Landry Hébert
    James Landry Hébert
    • Mitch Racineas Mitch Racine
    • (as James Hèbert)
    Ambyr Childers
    Ambyr Childers
    • Milk Skinned Blondeas Milk Skinned Blonde
    Josh Brolin
    Josh Brolin
    • Sgt. John O'Maraas Sgt. John O'Mara
    Mick Betancourt
    • Detective Sgt. Will Hendricksas Detective Sgt. Will Hendricks
    Mac Brandt
    Mac Brandt
    • Bruiseras Bruiser
    Brandon Molale
    Brandon Molale
    • Jimmy 'Bockscar' Knoxas Jimmy 'Bockscar' Knox
    Michael Papajohn
    Michael Papajohn
    • Mike 'The Flea'as Mike 'The Flea'
    Jeff Wolfe
    Jeff Wolfe
    • Giovanni Vacarezzaas Giovanni Vacarezza
    Anthony Molinari
    Anthony Molinari
    • Lorenzo Molinarias Lorenzo Molinari
    Austin Highsmith Garces
    Austin Highsmith Garces
    • Pattyas Patty
    • (as Austin Highsmith)
    Neil Koppel
    • Max Solomonas Max Solomon
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Lt. Quincannonas Lt. Quincannon
    • Director
      • Ruben Fleischer
    • Writers
      • Will Beall
      • Paul Lieberman(book "Gangster Squad")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    It's 1949 Los Angeles, and gangster Mickey Cohen has moved in, with the intention of controlling all criminal activity in the city. He has bought local judges and police, and no one is willing to cross him or testify against him. Everyone except Sergeant John O'Mara, a former World War II soldier, whose goal is to settle with his family in a peaceful Los Angeles. Police Chief William Parker decides to form a special unit whose mission is to take down Cohen, and chooses O'Mara to lead the unit. O'Mara chooses 4 cops and asks another cop and vet, Jerry Wooters to join him but Wooters is not interested. But when he witnesses the murder of a young boy by Cohen's people, he joins them, and they decide to take apart Cohen's organization. Cohen wonders if a rival is going after him, but eventually he realizes it's the cops. —rcs0411@yahoo.com
    police vigilantismyear 1949smoking after sexinterrogationtorture223 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • No names. No badges. No mercy.
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong violence and language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the movie, the Gangster Squad is assembled to go after Mickey Cohen. However, in real life Chief W.H. Parker set up the squad to prevent other gangsters from taking over Cohen's rackets after Cohen went to prison on income tax evasion. Whenever the squad learned that out-of-town gangsters were coming to Los Angeles to try to set up new operations, the Gangster Squad would kidnap them, beat them up (some rumors say torture) and then send them back to wherever they came from with the warning that if they ever returned, they would be killed.
    • Goofs
      The film gives the impression that the Gangster Squad were responsible for Mickey Cohen's arrest. In reality, Cohen was arrested in 1950 for the more mundane crime of tax evasion. He was also not sent to Alcatraz until 1961, over a decade after the film's time frame.
    • Quotes

      Grace Faraday: He'll kill you if he finds out!

      Sgt. Jerry Wooters: Who?

      Grace Faraday: Mickey!

      Sgt. Jerry Wooters: Mickey Mouse?

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.68 (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      The Hills of California
      Written by Robert Hayward and Robert Staver

      Performed by Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers featuring Paul Weston and His Orchestra

      Courtesy of Capitol Records

      Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

    User reviews324

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Colorful as well as violent flick about a relentless outfit to take down brutal mobster Mickey Cohen
    Brilliantly and stylishly recreated story set in Los Angeles, 1949: A secret crew of police officers led by a determined sergeant (Josh Brolin) pull off a hard fight against a local mobster . As sergeant John O'Mara happily married to pregnant Connie O'Mara (Mireille Enos , though Amy Adams and Kate Winslet were considered to play her) is assigned by Chief W.H. Parker (Nick Nolte, who portrays , previously played the leader of the gangster squad in Mulholland Falls) to enlist a brave group (Jamie Foxx and Bryan Cranston were considered for the roles but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts with their other movies) . As they work together in an effort to take down the ruthless mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) who runs the city . O'Mara chooses 4 officers (Robert Patrick , Anthony McKee , Giovanni Rivisi , Michael Peña) and asks another cop and vet, Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling , though Adam Brody, Joel Edgerton, Luke Evans and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were on the short list for the part) to join him but he is not interested , but when he witnesses a killing , he joins them . Then , Wooters falls in love for Mickey Cohen's girlfriend called Grace Faraday (Emma Stone , though Teresa Palmer, Camilla Belle, Aly Michalka, Lily Collins, Emmy Rossum, Amanda Seyfried and Maggie Grace auditioned for this character)

    This is a violence-ridden story full of action, drama , thriller and being pretty entertaining . Intelligent and suspenseful script in ¨The Untouchables¨ style , being written by Will Beall based on the book "Gangster Squad" from Paul Lieberman . Spectacular as well as explosive shoot'em up on the streets , mansion , station and Chinatown . Josh Brolin is excellent as impulsive and obstinate enforcer fighting against the underworld crime . Robert Patrick plays to perfection a veteran, incorruptible police who takes under his experience and protection to Michael Peña . And Sean Penn overacting in a heinous role as the nasty Mickey Cohen , Penn went through 3 hours of makeup each morning . Flamboyant and rich photography by Dion Beebe . Thrilling as well as atmospheric musical score by Steve Jablonsky . The motion picture was beautifully directed by Ruben Fleischer . This superb recounting will appeal immensely to Josh Brolin , Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone fans.

    The flick was partially based on real events : In the movie, the Gangster Squad is assembled to go after Mickey Cohen. However, in real life Chief W.H. Parker set up the squad to prevent other gangsters from taking over Cohen's rackets after Cohen went to prison on income tax evasion. Whenever the squad learned that out-of-town gangsters were coming to Los Angeles to try to set up new operations, the Gangster Squad would kidnap them, beat them up and then send them back to wherever they came from with the warning that if they ever returned, they would be killed . Other films dealing with this famous gangster Mickey Cohen are the followings : Bugsy (1991) played by Harvey Keitel , Fallen Angels (1993) played by James Woods , The Rat Pack (1998) (TV) played by Alan Woolf , L.A. Confidential (1997) played by Paul Guilfoyle , and recent TV series Mob City (2013) played by Jeremy Luke , including similar characters to 'The gangster squad' being starred by Jon Bernthal , Milo Ventimiglia, Neal McDonough , Alexa Davalos , Jeffrey DeMunn and Robert Knepper.
    helpful•22
    4
    • ma-cortes
    • Apr 20, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 11, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Fuerza antigángster
    • Filming locations
      • 17434 Bellflower Blvd, Bellflower, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Village Roadshow Pictures
      • Lin Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $60,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,000,903
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $17,070,347
      • Jan 13, 2013
    • Gross worldwide
      • $105,200,903
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 53min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Datasat
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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