We Own The Night Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Two brothers on opposite sides of the law. Beyond their differences lies loyalty.
A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hit men.
| Joaquin Phoenix | Robert 'Bobby' Green |
| Eva Mendes | Amada Juarez |
| Mark Wahlberg | Capt. Joseph 'Joe' Grusinsky |
| Robert Duvall | Deputy Chief Albert 'Bert' Grusinsky |
| Alex Veadov | Vadim Nezhinski |
| Dominic Colon | Freddie |
| Danny Hoch | Jumbo Falsetti |
| Oleg Taktarov | Pavel Lubyarsky |
| Moni Moshonov | Marat Buzhayev |
| Antoni Corone | Michael Solo |
| Craig Walker | Russell De Keifer |
| Tony Musante | Capt. Jack Shapiro |
| Joe D'Onofrio | Bloodied Patron |
| Yelena Solovey | Kalina Buzhayev |
| Maggie Kiley | Sandra Grusinsky |
| James Gray |
7.40 out of 10 (4662 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Great character development by Joaquin Phoenix!
posted on 21 Aug 2009It was a well-casted and well-acted movie all around. After the first scene I did not know what to expect in the following ones, but eventually it was put right. It is wonderful late 80's movie, in which Robert Green (Joaquin Phoenix) creates a loose irresponsible character as a nightclub manager who enjoys clubbing and light drugs with his girlfriend (Eva Mendes). After things go wrong he has to become a cop after his police executive father (Robert Duvall) gets hit by the Russians. It is not the best cop story ever, but it has some resemblance with The Deaparted that has to be ignored in order to pay extra attention to moral questions and the superb acting. Eva Mendes has to be specially noted in this great drama.
A good cop drama.
posted on 17 Aug 2009After watching the trailer I was left thinking that this movie was going to be a bootleg "The Departed." They even copied the New York skyline in shades of blue as the films logo (yes, The Departed takes place in Boston but was primarily shot in New York). I wasn't really expecting much when I realized that this was the same director that put both Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg in the same film a few years back (look it up). After all this, I was wrong.From the opening scene, we see that Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix) is the manager of an obviously trendy night club. He gets paid to party hard with his friends and gorgeous girlfriend Amanda (Eva Mendes). As a coke snorting, booze guzzling party animal, Bobby is the polar opposite of his brother Joseph (Mark Wahlberg). Joe, as he's called, is a tough New York City police officer and a complete model of discipline. I couldn't understand how two brothers could be so different when they both have the same parents, especially a father who happens to be the chief of police. The father Burt (Robert Duvall) never says that he's ashamed of Bobby, but the fact that his own son was thrown in jail for cocaine possession while he was blazed out of his mind can't exactly be the best example for the force.With Bobby working for the Russian mob bringing the cocaine in, and Joe who is working for the police, the set up seemed pretty rock solid. An attempt on Joe's life forces Bobby to make a decision about where his loyalties lie. Once Bobby realizes the ones responsible are the same people he works for and protects inside the club, he makes a choice and it's really not a choice at all. He volunteers to go undercover, eventually becoming a police officer himself.I have to say that Joaquin Phoenix brought a stellar performance to this film. He was much more entertaining and interesting to watch than Wahlberg's unchanging and stiff acting. You might say that his super-cop role required him to do that and you might just be right. Robert Duvall fills the role of the police chief/father perfectly. The father needed to be a respected cop and someone the audience cared for when he died, and Duvall does just that. Eva Mendes puts in a great performance as well. Like Henry Hill's wife in Goodfellas, Amanda can't take the lifestyle anymore and the fact that the couple has to go into the witness protection program only puts more of a strain on her relationship with Bobby.This film doesn't break any new ground and it wasn't supposed to. This is a great cop drama. As Bobby is sworn in at the end of training, we find out that he really was a cop all along, he just didn't know it.
A very mixed bag...
posted on 15 Aug 2009I went into this movie with little expectations but I did read some reviews prior to it. Suffice to say this movie could have been a LOT better. Surely it's worst problem is the script and storyline, it just didn't go any place the movie hadn't been visiting already. The whole thing felt like it was on repeat and it wasn't in a hurry to rewind. The acting I thought was pretty solid but cringeworthy oneliners kept hitting me over the head.Storywise, the movie didn't make a whole lot of sense. Our protagonist is supposed to be this tough guy but he's clearly in over his head and not the person you'd trust a an important drugdeal with. I didn't even get why he was present at the deal to begin with. Way too much drama was infused into this crime-movie but in such untimely fashion that caring for the characters was not its result.There are however some redeeming qualities. The score was pretty good and the cinematography excellent. The car-chase specifically stood out. And of course it's always nice to see Robert Duval.All in all I wouldn't recommend it rather than to catch it when it's on TV some rainy evening. You could do a lot worse.
Zombies Spoon Feeding Us Lines
posted on 13 Aug 2009Not a good film at all. Forget all the positive reviews, the only decent bits were the blurry car chase and the scene where Joaquin Phoenix goes to the Russian mob's den and gets found out.A hilarious continuity cut at the start put me in the mood for the film though. Eva Mendes is having her bean flicked by Joaquin, one minute she's got tights on, the next they disappear! Hey Presto, Joaquin is a wizard!! After that the film just doesn't deliver. I spent the whole time comparing it to films it's like which are better, like The Departed and Carlito's Way. Mr Phoenix looks like he's on Temazepam, he wanders through the film in a daze, disinterested, and tired, he acts like he's just come out of an "Eat as much as you can" Chinese Buffet, shouldn't have had that 3rd plate Joaquin.Mark Whalberg drifts in and out of the film with the enthusiasm of somebody who's just read such an appalling script. Robert Duvall is solid but dull. There are plenty of contrived exchanges that drag the film down. And Joaquin's transformation from night club manager to gun toting cop belongs in the realm of Science Fiction.The guy who plays Jumbo gives one of the most shocking performances in the history of cinema. He acts in that generic-pseudo-cool gangster way, but his execution is diabolical, and to top it all, you get the feeling that the actor playing the role actually thinks he's doing a great job! I think he should retire.Not very good at all.
Surprisingly bad second half
posted on 11 Aug 2009I liked club scenes and the first half of the movie quite a lot. Club people were convincing and overall atmosphere of the club seemed right (although I am to young to recall 80's). The second half was surprisingly stupid and what about all this pathos? Do real NYPD officers pray at official meetings and have church parties? I hope not.As for stupidity, I don't have time to list all silly moments, but whole Bobby's police career is ridiculous. Sure car chase was nice, but how come Bobby ended up in a driver seat so easily and what happened to the dead driver?
If you haven't seen it, don't read this.
posted on 09 Aug 2009I don't really see a great big reason to compare this movie to The Departed as do a lot of people. The departed was about the Irish Mafia in Boston and dirty cops. While we own the night is about the Russian Mafia in 1980's NYC and the messed up family dynamics of Phoenix, Wahlberg and Duvall.It was a movie based on the time period of the late 1980's, drug use and how things were handled back then. So how could anyone expect it to be some sort of "sequel" to The Departed simply because they're in the same genre?!. It should be judged on its unique perspective to the time period, the acting, and if it kept you entertained which is the main purpose of every movie. Rather than comparing it to other stuff in its genre.The movie might have felt weird or seemed a bit out of whack because of the casting. I don't know about anyone else, but for the most part, I'm used to seeing Marky mark as the designated bad-ass in just about every movie hes in, but in this film ... he really wasn't. I thought Robert Duvall was great as usual, but in the beginning I thought his role was going to be a bit more central than it turned out to be. Phoenix fit his role perfectly I thought, really conflicted like anyone should be in that situation. Eva Mendes was smokin and so was her chemistry with Phoenix, it looked like they had a believable relationship and I'm not just talking about the sex scene in the beginning. For instance, when they were getting ready in the apartment, when she was in sweats and he was asking her about his shirt, and then later on when he kissed her ankle. Little things like that made it seem really realistic to me. I don't know, maybe I'm just odd like that.And how could you forget the slight comic relief of "Jumbo" (Danny Hoch), with "Bustin heads like Bruce Lee" and "What are you trying to be some sort of a pain in the ass, who are you my mother?"It was a cool flick and its definitely worth your eight bucks or whatever your movie theater is chargin these days. But I don't feel like commenting on every little thing and ruining the entire film for you. If your interested enough to read this entire spiel I just typed up, than you should just see it and make your own judgment.
A Disappointment
posted on 05 Aug 2009We Own the Night had such great appeal but unfortunately turned out to be a disappointment. The reason is because it tries to be more than what it is. Actually, more off- puttingly, we can tell what kind of movie it's aiming to be, like The Departed or American Gangster, not necessarily on the same grand scale but definitely in density, what with being set in 1988 with no substantial significance, an old-timer from other gangster, cop, and tough guy dramas like Robert Duvall in a supporting role wherein he portrays a wise, respected father figure, an opening sequence of real-life stills of New York police in morgues and at Mafia crime scenes, and other such forced gimmicks. But it never reaches a point where it could be in the company of the A-list historical American gangster film. It's just a typical cop thriller with recycled plot parts, a screamingly pre-owned strand of the film is the main thread, two brothers on opposite sides of the law, and another being the same stale, crusty, raggedy, but unfortunately resilient subplot involving the girlfriend with an unrealistically relentless sexual appetite and nagging loyalty. If one were surfing through cable channels and came across it, one might stop and see it through, but if one were me, a cinephile with an aggressive passion for the gangster film that went to some effort to see this film despite my lack of interest in either Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Duvall, it's a let-down.If it were honest with itself as another American cop thriller straight off the assembly line for a typical moviegoer's night out or in, then it would've actually been a bit better. A film with a script and production values that betray the imaginings and intentions of the filmmakers has the problems that this movie has, for instance the first half of the film, which is drudgery. It has a very hard time getting comfortable. However, I will happily admit that this film has a terrifically created car chase with incredible terror in its drama and suspense. This portion is a part of the film's well-done last half, the last half being well-done because we now understand that the film is, once again, a simple cop thriller.Some of the film is brought down by the lack of vision the director seems to have. There are many poor casting choices in this film. Very very many. Aside from Duvall being a weak answer to The Departed's Jack Nicholson or Sleepers's Robert De Niro or a sea of other like- minded roles and Phoenix simply being uninteresting, there are terrible supporting and bit actors, almost like direct-to-video trash actors who never rise out of the heap. Mark Wahlberg is a joy to see, especially in comparison to the rest of the cast. Eva Mendes is wasted purely because of the token nature of her role, but Wahlberg is a highlight that has frustratingly spare screen time. If only the roles of the brothers could've been switched. I would actually be more interested in Phoenix if he were to play a stern, short-fused, adamant role like Wahlberg's and if Wahlberg were to play the lead.
Remember "The Departed"...Then You Get The Idea
posted on 01 Aug 2009It's a lot like The Derparted, and similar cop movies, about people stuck between, self, family, duty, and honor. Everything is well paced, and believably played out, to the accompaniment of a good soundtrack. A few scenes stand out though, the montage of crime scene photographs in the beginning immediately followed by the erotic exploits of Eva Mendes and Joaquin Phoenix in the back room of a club, is the first that comes to mind. The one and only car chase in the film is exhilarating in it's realism as is the final "take down" sequence, obscured by tear gas and tall grass, there's some gripping suspense.It's an a better than average story about one man's transformation and acceptance of "destiny" and "lineage". The cops vs. the Russians, resemble Fueding Royal Houses, at times. In the end though, if you've seen the Departed and fell head over heels in love, than you will enjoy this, if you just thought that movie was okay, you'll might think the same or less of this.
Difficult to care for.
posted on 30 Jul 2009On the surface, We Own the Night promises a heavy hitting cop drama. In fact what we get is a Cop drama that offers little more than a tap on the shoulder to get your attention.The movie starts off a little slow & hardly ever picks up, save a rather visually satisfying car chase in the rain. There were so many opportunities to have some "pick-up" but every attempt seemed to come across as forced or uninspired (see the drug raid)& a lot of the time out of no where.While I believe Jaoquin Phoenix & Mark Whalberg are great, they have the most character development (esspecially Jaoquin), the rest of the cast seems bored & uncaring for the script. Which brings me to the major failing of this movie, The villains come across as clichéd & not intimidating. I'm sorry but simply because the drug dealers are Russian doesn't make them anymore intense or intimidating than a gang banger sporting a wife-beater thinking he's the next Tony Montana.Too many promises that are granted with horribly overused clichés like "your either with them or us", & weak characters make We Own the Night a failure in the Cop Drama category.
Brothers-in-love?
posted on 28 Jul 2009It's not exactly the first time this concept in used. Two brothers on each side of the law. Do they meet? Yes. And there are conflicts.Once again the Russians are the bad guys and they look just like bad Russians shall in the movies. It's almost like white hats contra black hats in the old Westerns.Anyway, it's an effective story and effective telling. But, also according to tradition, it slowly develops into sentimentality. James Cagney didn't go that far. Not all the time. And in his own way Cagney was more trustworthy. But he didn't have to deal with Russians.Entertaining, but don't expect to get surprised.
It doesn't really own anything
posted on 24 Jul 2009I just got home from seeing this and I am disappointed. There were a lot of good elements in it, but I thought for the duration of the film that something was just off. Maybe it's because the last two movies I saw (Eastern Promises and Lust, Caution) blew me away that I'm being harder on this film. But I thought that it was trying too hard and missed. In a way it looked like a bunch of trailers strung together.One issue I have is Eva Mendes' character. She was just the girlfriend and didn't do much except to remind us that it was the 80s with her hair and makeup. Not her fault. I like her. But she had nothing to do.Another issue, and this is mostly just a pet peeve of mine but Duvall, Wahlberg, and Phoenix don't pass for family unless everyone in that family is adopted. Maybe that makes me superficial but I watch movies with my eyes, and it's always been a past time of mine to group together actors that I think could play relations, looks-wise. I would never have gone for this group.There were some really cool scenes, especially the one featuring a window. And then there were others that I couldn't make out because of all the camera shake. I'd like this camera technique to be banned from all major motion pictures for at least a decade. I can't see what's going on when it moves around like that. Why bother filming a scene if you don't want people to know what's happening in it? Otherwise, it's okay. I mean if you like the actors check it out. But don't expect The Departed or Serpico or DonnieBrasco. I think that's what it was trying to be but it just didn't make it.
This film deserves to own one or two of your nights
posted on 20 Jul 2009James Gray's work here as writer-director has come leaps and bounds from his previous film The Yards, released in 2000. With We Own the Night, he crafts a fantastic story with a style set apart from current films. Perhaps not designed for audiences that fear classical storytelling, this film is refreshingly not reminiscent of the music videos/video games that are being packaged as movies. Gray has likened it to a Greek tragedy in its scope, where something far more devastating than predictability awaits. After a much discussed sex scene that manages to be risqué and sexy without going too far for tame audiences, the story really develops beautifully, exceeding my (already high) expectations. I'm looking forward to seeing it for a second time in theaters as I have a feeling that this one only improves with multiple viewings.Gray creates real mood in several particularly excellent scenes. Two in particular, the drug house and car chase are so well constructed, and so well filmed. They build tension inconspicuously, they creep up on you to where you barely notice that you've started breathing harder. And the choice of composition and sound effects never feels overdone or out of place. It serves as a compliment to the suspense rather than the source. At times the effect almost sounds throbbingly ultrasonic. It adds palpability to scenes without overpowering them--something all too common today.Of particular mention is Gray's use of hallways as set pieces. There are three different hallways used at different intervals in the film that are wonderfully atmospheric (as coupled with haunting audio and skillful direction) and indicative of a passage into the unknown. The last--Bobby walking down the corridor into blackness is both terrifying in its context and foretelling of the symbolic darkness he's entering in his life.As for the cast, Joaquin Phoenix is (again) the heart, soul, and center of the film. Smartly given the main role, his weight, conviction and charisma easily stand out here. Conversely, Mark Wahlberg contributes little and provides the same fairly one-note performance we've seen before from him. But perhaps aided by their previous working relationship and off-screen friendship, he and Phoenix share enough believable chemistry to make their complicated relationship feel real. Duvall does fine work as their father, we've seen him better but I enjoyed the tension between his character and Phoenix's black sheep of the family. Eva Mendes is unobjectionable as well. Actually the relationship between Bobby (Phoenix) and Amada (Mendes) is perhaps the most touching and poignant in the film and Mendes is in no way a disappointment or distraction. More than just the girlfriend of a charismatic man, we believe in the relationship between Amada and Bobby, which makes the evolution of that relationship all the more resonant by film's end. But, this is Phoenix's film. At his worst (if you can call it that) he's reminiscent of a young and passionate Al Pacino, and at his best, there is no one comparable. Phoenix takes this role and makes it heartbreaking, shading Bobby with sympathy and complexity. There are several scenes in which his reactions are stunning in their realism. A scene in a diner in which Bobby knows more than he can let on to a Russian drug dealer, Phoenix juggles a reflection of both inner and outer conflict that is revelatory in its subtlety--and he does it all with his face and eyes. He seems an old hand at the dreaded and difficult character arc, so his masterful work there is no surprise. What is surprising is that you instantly forget ever seeing him in anything before. When you watch We Own the Night, you can't see Joaquin Phoenix and you don't see any character he has previously played. His style, presence, manner, behavior and the feeling he projects has never been seen before. This is Phoenix as we've never seen him. And that is every bit as exciting as it sounds.As a final comment on the film-making, the very last scene is a dream in its power and simplicity. Though some viewers may be used to something showier, it is about as perfect a final moment as I could have hoped for. As far as Joaquin Phoenix goes, the man just keeps getting better. Apparently so does James Gray.
Love the movie but time line doesn't fit!
posted on 06 Jul 2009I loved this movie and especially enjoyed the car chase in the rain scene! I grew up in Brooklyn and actually waited for the credits to complete to see if filming was really done there! I was happy to see that it was since most movies that are set in New York are usually filmed in Toronto! The only problem I had with this movie, especially since I love movie soundtracks, was that the music being played did not fit the time line for which the movie was supposed to be set. If I am not mistaken, according to the trailer, this movie was set in 1988. The music, although unfortunately not much was used in background, was all from late 70's to early 80's. Anybody knows that when you go to a nightclub, they are playing the latest hits. The Blondie hit Rapture was from 1981 and Heart of Glass from right around the same time period. Also, being as Kid Creole and the Coconuts was performing in the club, their heyday was in the early 80's as well. Little things like that can drive me crazy! Doesn't anyone think that moviegoers may catch on to things like that? May seem trivial but they should aim for accuracy as much as possible.
starts off a winner.......................then fizzles out.
posted on 02 Jul 2009the movie started out great.....had so much potential.....could have been a direct competition to THE DEPARTED..... the characters were very well written...excellent screenplay..... and great performances to.... Robert Duvall was a very believable concerned father... Mark Wahlberg picked up where he left off in the Departed...with a little less attitude of course...! Eva Mendes played the sexy female lead and added some much needed glammer to the flick... But..Joaquin Phoenix was the icing on the cake....Wow!!you feel yourself drawn in the story....wanting to know what happens next... but the latter half is a disappointment,,,a very abrupt ending....almost as if they got tired of making the movie and finished it half heartedly...But..i'll watch it again and again just for the first half!
Weak, moronic gangster flic
posted on 30 Jun 2009Really, the logic behind this movie was incredibly dumb. Are we supposed to believe that a powerful mob family doesn't know that the guy running one of their clubs (Joaquin Phoenix fantastic) which front their drug dealing is the son (with an Anglicized change) of the NY police chief? Are you kidding me? They wouldn't have done their homework? And he's just going to roll over on them with no sorts of guarantees? And that this man would become a cop just like that, after he has been a key underworld figure for some time? Or that his attractive and intelligent girlfriend (the very talented and capable Eva Mendes) would so mindlessly violate the terms of a police protection order just to see her mother? I think Phoenix, Wahlberg, Mendes, and to a lesser extent Duvall because I think less is expected of him, but certainly Mendes and Phoenix, do a fantastic job acting in this movie. Mendes' character seems like a nice, whip-smart girl who happens to be smoking hot. Phoenix is obviously remote from his family but there are reasons for that and once those reasons are tapped, he remembers the closeness of his family. Also, would the mob really tolerate the indiscretion of Phoenix's doorman/gofer at the club who doesn't know how to keep a secret? It's implausible to think that a powerful mob interest could be so clueless and ignorant as the mob depicted in this movie. If one cannot buy the intelligence-because certainly rich crooks are not stupid, then the whole premise of the movie falls apart. See "The Departed" or "Goodfellas" instead. That said, Phoenix and Mendes in particular are excellent. Less is required of Duvall but he is more than up to the expectations and Wahlberg glowers and steams as he did in "The Departed". He is certainly upset and seems like a decent cop, but his performance here seems eerily similar to that which he delivered in "The Departed" but for that movie, his edginess was a little (more justifiably) sharp-edged.
Not an engrossing film
posted on 26 Jun 2009I was excited to see this film, being an avid fan of the hardcore cop drama, but was extremely disappointed.The character development was empty. I did not feel attached to any of the characters. It almost seemed like right when you were about to become engrossed by a character (i.e. Mark Whalberg's character and Eva Mendes's character) they were taken out of the story. The film did not allow you to feel for these people.There were many scenes that had the potential to add sincere drama to the storyline; the moment of silence/couple juxtaposition early on in the film, the rainy day when the two are caught, Mark Whalberg's assualt, all could have used their surrounding elements to really impact these characters emotions but the audience was left empty.Another concern of mine was that I was left chuckling after many a scene where a chuckle perhaps was not the appropriate response. The lack of a legitemate Russian accent from the Russian nephew was comical, as well as the cheesy hallucination that Joaquin Phoenix's had when he thought he saw Eva Mendes in the audience. By the way the reason I have to refer to the actor's names is that I did not care enough about the characters in this film to remember their names.Overall the film did not accomplish the brutality and emotion that many cop drama's have in the past (The Departed, Training Day), but it did have an interested cast and a great soundtrack:)
A mediocre movie
posted on 24 Jun 2009We Own the Night has a good main premise but it is not well developed.I mean,with that main concept,the story could have gone much more far away and the development is too simple,generic and predictable.Another negative point is that the slow tone makes it frequently boring.Also,I did not find the ending satisfactory.But,the cast makes this movie better than what it really is.Mark Wahlberg,Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Duvall are three excellent actors and they all bring brilliant performances on this movie.Another positive point is the chase scene,which is very well filmed.We Own the Night is a mediocre movie and I found it frequently boring.Wahlberg,Phoenix and Duvall make this movie better.Without them,the rating of the movie would be a 5 and not a 6.
Poorly written film
posted on 20 Jun 2009Pretty dull stuff. The plot is predictable. The story line and resolution are hackneyed and familiar. A waste of the talents of Robert Duvall and Eva Mendes. Phoenix and Wahlberg act bored throughout the film and frankly they are better in other films. An hour and a half I will never get back again. I felt cheated as I could have seen Michael Clayton instead and chose this film based on what now appears to be hack reviews. The dialog was awful, there was no feel of New York about it despite the exterior shots, and very little feeling of a much needed plot element...menace. Go see Eastern Promises instead...much better material.
Absurd
posted on 20 Jun 2009I'll try to keep it short because so many comments are available to detail the disappointments in the movie.Bottom line - it was absurd. The cast was solid, and the look of the picture was fine, but EVERY key turning point in the movie was driven by (1) jaw-dropping coincidence, (2) implausible stupidity by either police or criminals who are supposed to be the best at what they do, or (3) characters doing things they wouldn't do.On that last point, Joaquin Phoenix's character Bobby is certainly a contender, but the champion is Mark Wahlberg's Joe, a bold, brave, and brash, bad-ass cop who recovers from a dramatic shooting only to cower in the weeds at the end so that his previously-criminally-associated brother-turned-deputized-police-officer-for-two-days can step in to lead a major East Coast drug raid. And all of that is LITERAL....Oh, and somehow the bad guys can't figure out that the nightclub manager that they invited to come to their top-secret drug processing facility is the brother of the cop they went out of their way to gun down in the middle of the street, even though the nightclub brother had openly attended the cop brother's police ceremony a couple nights before, and the cop brother raided the nightclub brother's bar after that, and the nightclub brother was let out of jail despite possession of narcotics, and so on and so on and so on.Don't try to untangle it. Don't even try to see it.
Intelligent and thought-provoking drama developing a familiar conflict with the Russian mafia
posted on 25 Aug 2009The film starts in Brooklyn , 1888. Two brothers, Robert and Albert Green have chosen separated ways. Bobby Green Grusinsky(Joaquin Phoenix) is manager of a Russian club, who suffers emotional pain when has to confront with his father and brother. Joseph Green Grusinsky (Mark Wahlberg)is a police officer recently promoted to captain, he's a cold-blood professional. Their father is the upright Deputy Chief Albert Grusinsky(Robert Duvall). Bobby has a beautiful fiancée(Eva Mendes) and directs efficiently his club. When a Russian mobster is making his heroin trade, Joseph and Albert ask help to Bobby but he declines. Then Joe busts the discotheque that Robert manages and detain the Russian gangster but also to Bobby. Then the events wreak havoc and lead a spiral out of control.This is a familiar drama full of intrigue, action, tension, thrills, and violence. Stunning performances by the trio protagonist, Wahlberg, Duvall and Phoenix who frequently casts for the director Gray. Gorgeous beauty from Eva Mendes who also does a magnificent acting as suffering girlfriend .This entertaining and suspenseful film is plenty of twists and unexpected turns. Adequate and moving musical score by Wojciech Kilar.Atmospheric cinematography reflecting splendidly interiors and exteriors from Queens streets.The picture is well directed by John Gray who frequently deals familiar conflicts set in N.Y , in fact he grew up in Queens and his grandparents were Russian immigrants. Gray is a nice writer/director and winner of several prizes.His first movie was ¨Litte Odessa¨(1994) at age of twenty-four and winner of the Venice film Festival, concerning also about Russian immigrants. His following was ¨The Yards¨ which was selected for official competition at Cannes Festival and starred by Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix . His last film is titled ¨Two lovers¨(2008), and again with Joaquin Phoenix. Rating : Better than average, well worth watching.