American Gangster: Fact vs. Fiction (and why it matters)

Okay, so I finally got around to rewatching "American Gangster" the other night. I always find myself conflicted about this one. On the one hand, Denzel Washington? Incredible. The scenes where he's just silently radiating power and menace, like at that Thanksgiving dinner where he blows up over the cheap turkey...chills! But... it's also so, so loosely based on real events that I keep getting hung up on what's true and what's Hollywood. I get that movies aren't documentaries, but the whole 'smuggling heroin in coffins of dead soldiers' thing? Pretty sensationalized, right? And the rivalry with Nicky Barnes? Apparently, that was way exaggerated. I read somewhere that a lot of the stuff with Richie Roberts (Crowe) was also heavily fictionalized FOR the movie. It makes it hard to know what to take at face value. It's entertaining, sure, but I left feeling a bit like I'd been lied to, which deflated my enjoyment a little. What I did appreciate was the portrayal of the institutional racism and corruption within the NYPD. That felt really raw and believable, and I think it's an important part of the story that often gets overlooked in favor of the glamorized gangster stuff. Armand Assante as Dominic Cattano was phenomenal, even though he wasn't in it that much. Wish he'd had more screentime! Ultimately, I think it's a good movie, but you gotta go in knowing it's more 'inspired by' than a faithful adaptation. What do you all think? Did the liberties they took bother you as much? Oh, and quick side note: It was directed by Ridley Scott. How could I forget that?! Explains the awesome visuals, I guess. Still not sure how I feel about the over-the-top violence, though.