Squad Up! 5 Reasons Why You Should See 'The Gangster Squad'

During the summer, we anticipated seeing the first trailer for director Ruben Fleischer's "The Gangster Squad," the forthcoming period crime film which stars Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin. In an odd sense of ill-timing, the trailer was put on hold when art and life imitated one another sparked by the Aurora, Colorado theater shooting that gripped the nation's attention.

Fast-forward the clock to November, and all eyes are still on Fleischer's "The Gangster Squad." The major Hollywood ensemble period piece centers on Brooklyn-born mob king Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) who relocates to the City of Angels to control every wire bet placed west of Chicago. With the protection of not only his own paid goons, but also the LAPD, it is up to a brave, street-hardened crew of law enforcement outsiders to stop this gangster from setting up shop.

Enter: The Gangster Squad. Led by Sgt. John O'Mara (Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Gosling), this "based on a true story" is a colorful retelling of events surrounding the LAPD's efforts to take back their city. We here at VIBE Pop Culture got an early look at the movie and wanted to share with you 5 Reasons Why You Should See "The Gangster Squad". So, strap up for an exhilarating ride by navigating our gallery, which you can see for yourself, above.