The new movie “Gangster Squad,” which was released Friday, has received mixed reviews from audiences and critics everywhere.

The film takes place in 1949 Los Angeles, where the city is ruled by a ruthless mobster named Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn). A secret group of Los Angeles police officers band together to try and destroy Cohen’s rule.

The film is considered a crime action thriller – and, for the most part, it is. It also includes some drama and romance, which makes it appeal to more audiences if they are willing to sit through the opening.

The opening of the film is supposed to “set the scene,” and while it sets the tone for the action, it is very violent and graphic. I wasn’t very impressed. Instead, it’s the back story of each police officer that creates the film’s drama and romance.

The lead sergeant, played by Josh Brolin (“No Country for Old Men”), is in a struggle with his pregnant wife for taking on the duty of hunting down Cohen, knowing that he might not come out alive. The other officers also have their own reasons to fight or not to fight. Stg. Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling, “The Notebook”) is no exception.

Wooters adds the romance into the story by falling in love with Mickey Cohen’s girlfriend, Grace Faraday (Emma Stone, “Crazy Stupid Love”). This love affair gives him one of the reasons to fight against Cohen. I really enjoyed Wooters and Faraday’s little scenes of love and happiness inserted into the darker, violent story line.

Overall, the film includes a good amount of family drama, friendship and romance that balances out the very heavy action and violence. I thought it was a great film that showed the horror and the action of 1940s mobsters. This film is great for anyone who is interested in historical mobsters, drama, violence or romance.

3.5/5 Stars