Gangster Squad

R

Released Jan 11, 2013

1 hr. 50 min.

Crime

Drama

Action

List

31%

206 Reviews

Tomatometer

57%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) has 1949 Los Angeles in an iron fist, as he accumulates a fortune from drugs, prostitution and gambling. Cohen has an army of paid goons at his disposal, but he also has certain policemen and politicians in his pocket. It's enough to intimidate even the bravest cop, until Los Angeles Police Department mavericks, Sgts. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), form a secret crew to bring Cohen to justice.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Oct 10

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Apple TV

Rent Gangster Squad on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

Critics Consensus

Though it's stylish and features a talented cast, Gangster Squad suffers from lackluster writing, underdeveloped characters, and an excessive amount of violence.

Read Critics Reviews

Dionisis T

Pretty good noir film with vibes that I loved and a cast that was definitely very strong...it bothered me that such a good film once again got such bad reviews...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/18/24

Full Review

Grant R

Don't listen to the negative reviews. If you enjoy noirs, but also like a bit more action than I would definitely recommend this film!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/08/24

Full Review

Bunk M

I guess if Brolin and Penn's boxing match is the high point... Could have better capitalized on Gosling & Stone here.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/07/23

Full Review

isla s

This is a slick, stylish and fast paced film, with some good effects (mainly the explosions). Sean Penns performance is particularly memorable, as the highly strung, alpha male Mickey Cohen. It does contain a number of stereotypes/cliches of mob type films and I got a bit confused by some aspects of the plot but then its an easy enough film just to sit back and watch, without needing to pay attention to the fine detail overall really.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Boneyard L

This movie has a slick aesthetic and a stock plot. The sleek visual style is definitely the draw here, but the story is good enough to keep the audience's attention through to the end. Closest comparison: It's like The Untouchables by way of La La Land, without the singing. Setting: Crime Plot: Action Tone: Adventure

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/07/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Originally when I planned on watching this movie I thought it would be on the same level as The Godfather, GoodFellas and The Irishman. With an amazing cast of A-list celebrities, it had potential to be one of the better mafia/gangster films. However, this movie played out like a comedy and had a lot of cheesy scenes. The only thing I liked about this movie was the editing and the actors/actress. Other than that, this movie was a joke. Extremely Disappointed.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Ruben Fleischer

Director

Josh Brolin

Sgt. John O'Mara

Ryan Gosling

Sgt. Jerry Wooters

Nick Nolte

Chief Parker

Robert Patrick

Max Kennard

Michael Peña

Navidad Ramirez

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

93%

79%

Drive

85%

86%

End of Watch

94%

77%

Drug War

87%

87%

The Raid: Redemption

82%

87%

The Raid 2

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Critics Consensus: Gangster Squad Is Style Over Substance

Video: Ryan Gosling Gets Embarrassed by a Dish Towel

Video Interviews with the Cast of Gangster Squad: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and more

View more photos

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

It's a lazy, watered down gangster flick that is not nearly as clever or as new as it attempts to be.

Rated: D+

Sep 7, 2017

Full Review

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

metro.co.uk

Gangster Squad is slight pulp fiction that offers all-out, balls-to-the-wall action riddled with as many clichés as bullets.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 1, 2017

Full Review

Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

Those who are calling it shallow and cartoony and clichéd are missing the point. It is all of those things, purposefully - gleefully, even.

Jun 21, 2016

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

What a shame that such a talented cast of actors, not to mention the attractive costumes and gorgeous production design, go to waste on this all-too-familiar story.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 20, 2022

Full Review

James Croot

Stuff.co.nz

[A] depressingly by-the-numbers script.

Rated: 2.5/5

Mar 30, 2021

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Penn wants to be De Niro and Pacino simultaneously, but instead emerges ridiculous, forgetting his accent and tripping over his unnatural, obligatory mercilessness.

Rated: 4/10

Dec 3, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

Ruthless, Brooklyn-born mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) has 1949 Los Angeles in an iron fist, as he accumulates a fortune from drugs, prostitution and gambling. Cohen has an army of paid goons at his disposal, but he also has certain policemen and politicians in his pocket. It's enough to intimidate even the bravest cop, until Los Angeles Police Department mavericks, Sgts. John O'Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), form a secret crew to bring Cohen to justice.

Director: Ruben Fleischer
Executive Producer: Paul Lieberman, Ruben Fleischer, Bruce Berman
Screenwriter: Will Beall
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Lin Pictures, Kevin McCormick
Rating: R (Strong Violence|Language)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 11, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $46.0M
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now