What if your own family stood in the way of everything you worked for? Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) has forsaken his name to escape his family and their tradition in law enforcement to pursue his ambitions as a Brooklyn nightclub owner. As he turns a blind eye to the drug dealers around him, he comes face to face with the family he abandoned when his brother (Mark Wahlberg) and father (Robert Duvall) crack down on the club. Now Bobby must choose a side. Is he going to turn informant or will he help run the biggest crime ring in New York history?
In We Own the Night, Joaquin Phoenix, whose eyes burn with sullen anger even when he's looking at the woman he loves, plays Bobby Green, a nightclub manager in the 1980s who gets caught between his blood family he tried to leave behind--a long line of police officers--and his chosen family of friends and business partners, who turn out to be drug dealers. His father (Robert Duvall) and brother (Mark Wahlberg) want Bobby to help their investigation, but Bobby resists--until the conflict takes a brutal turn. Writer/director James Gray wears his influences on his sleeve; he's clearly seen every movie that Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola ever made and aspires to follow in their footsteps. The familiarity of the movie's territory dilutes its impact, but the plot of We Own the Night remains unpredictable, the performances have a clean vitality, and Gray's moody visual style brings some life to the genre. Phoenix (Walk the Line) dives into his role, sifting through layers of guilt and familial resentment; Wahlberg and Duvall play parts they've essentially played a dozen times, but do so with commitment and integrity. Also featuring Eva Mendes (Ghost Rider) as Bobby's devoted girlfriend, who questions just how much she'll have to give up for him. --Bret Fetzer
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Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
"I'm done with you!":
Director James Gray once again pairs Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg, seven years after he directed them in "The Yards." This time, they play brothers on opposite side of the law in 1988 New York City. Wahlberg is a straight-arrow police captain who follows in the footsteps of their successful father, Robert Duvall who is a Deputy Chief, whereas Phoenix runs a hot nightclub for some Russians who deal in the drug business. Wahlberg tries to bring down the Russians and solicits the help of Phoenix, who... more info
Joaquin Phoenix brings this movie home:
One of my top movies, Joaquin gives a life time performance. The story, about two brothers, working from two sides of the law, coming together to beat the bad guys. If you're a Mark Wahlberg or Joaquin Phoenix fan, a must see....rent it or buy it.
Wholly unremarkable:
Acting & production was up to par for a movie of today's caliber, which is why I give this movie more than one star. The entire plot, on the other hand, has been so overdone throughout the years, that creating a movie of this style today would require more imaginative writing. This movie was predictable at many points, and beyond that, did not give me any "Wow, I never saw that coming!" moments. Glad I watched it on PPV as the 99-cent special, rather than paying to see it in a theatre. Just... more info
A Gritty Crime Drama:
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: From the Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker
Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake WE OWN THE NIGHT is a riveting cops-and-robbers thriller that deals with the Russian Mob in New York and Brooklyn during the 1980s. It's filled with an array of complex characters, terrific performances and exciting action scenes, particularly a shoot-out in a "stash house" and an auto chase that redefines that kind of sequence. Joaquin Phoenix stars as the... more info
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