Phoenix & Wahlberg Own The Screen

"We Own The Night" (2007)
Directed by: James Gray (Little Odessa, The Yards)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes, Alex Veadov
Running Time: 117 minutes
Rut's Rating: 3.5/5

Family loyalty is put to the test in "We Own The Night", a suspenseful drama that focuses on two brothers from opposite ends of the law, set against the backdrop of New York in 1988.

Bobby Green, played with scary-good intensity by Joaquin Phoenix, is a nightclub manager with dreams of making it big. He's confident, but not quite bordering on arrogant. Bobby may have a joint every once in awhile, but even he's oblivious to the drug dealers and violent criminals who hang out in the club. He loves his girlfriend Amada, played by Eva Mendes, giving an average performance. Phoenix is an acting machine; he didn't just play Johnny Cash in "Walk The Line", he became him. And its no different here. Phoenix shows a side of his acting ability that we don't see from most actors of his generation, and its damn impressive.

On the other side of the spectrum is Bobby's family. Brother Joseph Grusinsky, played by Mark Wahlberg, and father Burt Grusinsky, played by Robert Duvall, are police officers in the NYPD, and warn Bobby that there is a drug war going on, and that sooner or later, he's going to have to choose a side. Duvall is impressive in his role; he's a veteran and you really see that fatherly bond he has with Joseph, and the strained one he has with Bobby. Wahlberg is equally impressive, if not more, but I got the feeling he was pretty much playing the same role he had in "The Departed", minus the Boston accent. Granted, he was nominated for an Oscar in that role, but we don't need to see the same thing twice. Still, he's great and his scenes with Phoenix are fiercely intense.

"We Own The Night" sort of reminds me of "The Departed". It deals with the good versus the bad, betraying trust, knowing where your loyalty lies, Hell, even the theatrical trailer I first saw back in August had me thinking it was a secretly-made sequel. But it doesn't intentionally try to be that film. Director James Gray creates a tense, realistic atmosphere where you don't know who's around the corner and your closest friend could be your nearest enemy.

The only negative thing I have to say about this film is that its predictable at times. When one thing happens, I saw the next thing happening in my head. That's not to say that the film is terrible, far from it, because when something tragic happens it still shakes you. The other thing is that I would have liked to see Wahlberg more. You'll know what I'm talking about in the first 30 minutes of the film. A few more scenes with his character would have made for a more balanced view between Bobby/Joseph.

Besides that, the film is enjoyable. I especially liked the soundtrack, and Joaquin Phoenix is fast becoming one of my all-time favorite actors. He's dedicated and takes this role seriously. I read that between takes on the set, Phoenix would get into character by hurling insults at Robert Duvall in order to create a realistic tension between father and son. Duvall was upset, of course, but that just makes for a more tense confrontation on the silver screen.

You'll enjoy "We Own The Night" if you appreciate great, suspenseful performances by dedicated actors. The story is intense, violent, yet somewhat predictable, but that's not exactly a downfall. There's real drama in this film and I think that's missing from a lot of run-of-the-mill movies.

Til next time,

Keep 'em laughin',
Derek