Director Ruben Fleischer’s real-life crime drama The Gangster Squad is adding another talented character actor to its cast. Following reports that Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston was in negotiations to join the cast, Giovanni Ribisi has reportedly agreed to appear in the film.
The movie, which traces the real-life adventures of a cop squad that attempted to track down notorious gangster Mickey Cohen, stars Sean Penn (as Cohen), and Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin as two detectives on the squad.
According to Deadline, Ribisi, who has starred in a range of films during his 20-year career, including major blockbusters like Avatar, will play the role of Conway Keeler, “a cop in the group who is a master of electronics and wires.” The supporting cast also includes Anthony Mackie (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and Michael Pena.
From the 1953 classic The Big Heat to the 1997 modern classic L.A. Confidential, organized crime in Los Angeles during the 1940s and 1950s has always been fascinating subject matter for movies. The fact that The Gangster Squad is a real-life story only adds to the film’s appeal.
Gangster Squad will be a change of pace for Fleischer, whose directorial debut was the comedy-horror hybrid Zombieland and whose next feature is the comedy 30 Minutes or Less, starring Aziz Ansari and Academy Award-nominee Jesse Eisenberg.
It will be very interesting to see how the movie turns out. Fleischer clearly has skills, and this movie could be an interesting stepping stone for the director to take on even more dramatic fare. At the very least, it will be great to watch Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin star opposite Sean Penn.
What do you think of Gangster Squad? Is this a movie you’re interested in seeing?
