USES AND GRATIFICATION

The Uses and gratification Theory suggests that the audience have a tendency to use the film for other purposes besides it's general purpose which is overall entertainment. It is apparent that the audience responds to films actively rather than passively, by engaging in it. Some of the purposes which active audiences use the film for include the following:
Escape: To find an outlet in a different world other than their own, for example video games and music.
Social interaction: People create personal relationships with the characters in a media text. More so if the text is fictional.
Identify: People often find them selves in a character that they feel that they can relate to or they have something in common with. For example hair styles, trend, life style or ambition.
Inform and Educate: Especially for real life events the audience gains an understanding of whats going on in the world around them. 
Entertain: This what I believe to be the overall purpose of media texts, to entertain with out any other gratifications.

I think that this theory can be used in gangster films because, the gangster genre is an active one, to understand the gangster genre you must be able to engage in the film. This is because majority of the gangster movies are put out to the public as a message inform of entertainment. The message is "conform or else." At the end of every gangster movie we see the gangster either dying or changing his ways. This can be a form of Informing and educating the audience.
The target audience for gangster films is initially males. The way in which the Gangster genre represents males tends to allow some of them to identify them selves in the characters, for example; in Scarface, people felt that they could relate to Tony Montana and his struggles and the way he strived for what he wanted. Some people idolise him and have developed a relationship with his character, these are forms of social interaction. Even though his character is completely fictional.
To conclude I feel that watching a Gangster film is a passive activity, and it is possible that when one watches a gangster film that they may find other uses for it other than pure entertainment.

Escape
Scarface: The world of the film scarface is very different, we see someone who starts with nothing rise to everything and get everything they have ever wanted. People that have a similar motive in life tend to loose themselves in the film, they get to see their own ambitions come to life inside the film. For example in the film, during the montage after Tony killed his boss Frank the montage that followed included him getting married and building a new lavish life for him self.
City of God: Unless you are from Rio and have seen what it is like to live there, or you have experienced a life style similar to that of the characters of the City of God  the movie takes you to a whole different paradigm and you have a glance at what other people have endured especially since it is based on factual events.

Social Interaction
Scarface: People often develop a relationship with the character of Tony Montana and try to put themselves in his shoes. As he is the protagonist they see the movie through his point of view and how everything around him is making him who he is.
City of God: The fact that the film is based on true events people often find them selves wondering what if life was like that for them in their own country. They start to feel sorry for those who are suffering and angry at the people who are causing them pain.

Identify
Scarface: A lot of people see them selves in Tony Montana, and if not most who watch the film aspire to be like him, tough, ruthless, ambitious, and rich. He came from nothing and made something of him self, people ignore his downfall and set there own goals of success they way he did and set out to achieve them. Trying to make someone' fictional life, their own life in reality.
City of God: Rocket the protagonist is the character that most people would relate to, he is educated, set in his ways and trying to make something of him self. He is independent and has a mature style of thinking and is more civilised compared to the others in the film. People find this relatable.

Inform and Educate
Scarface: Even though the entire movie is fictional it's story line is deep and people can take either a positive of negative message from it. The message that the film makers set out for the audience is that crime never pays. Even though Tony found success and riches, he lost every one he loved and his life was taken in the end. The messages other people may receive is that, one should set goals and do everything they can to achieve them, to never loose sight of their goals.
City of God: Considering the fact the movie is based on actual events people are able to gain a sense of understanding of what is going on in the world around them.