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We Own the Night (2007)

Director: James Gray

Time Out rating

Average user rating

7 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Smuggling in a fraught, mythic tale of destiny and blood ties under the old-fashioned clothing of a ’70s-style crime drama, James Gray’s first film since ‘The Yards’ (2000) broods with dark, tantalising subtleties. Trapped again and again in God’s-eye cut-backs, long shots and stretched takes, coked-up nightclub manager Joaquin Phoenix finds himself forced to reunite with his cop family (Mark Wahlberg as his brother, Robert Duvall as his deputy-chief dad) in the late-’80s NYC drugs war. But Gray shapes his classical framework too close to both contrivance and convention too often, leaving his intriguing thematic payload lost in murky, indistinct drama. Eva Mendes completes a volley of evolving, insular performances that mesh perfectly with the fading shadows and ambient noise of Gray’s sombre neo-noir stylings. Yet still, for all the heat, the slow-burn simply never ignites. Shame, because Gray was achingly close to something here. A desperate violence and urgency spills out in the film’s flash-point set-pieces – not least a sensational car chase, shot through a windscreen, hammering rain and a blur of fear.

Author: Jonathan Crocker

Time Out London Issue 1947: December 12-18 2007

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User reviews of this film

Warm Norman said...

Posted on Jan 12 2008 20:17 i thought the film was very good and the toilet scenes were strange but exciting. i especially enjoyed the cameo role of ben stiller as a hairy waitress

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kat said...

Posted on Jan 06 2008 12:45 it had jacquin in it...mate what more do you want :D

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top london film critic said...

Posted on Jan 05 2008 19:38 This film was that exciting I had an accident in my briefs!!!!!

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Sutton said...

Posted on Dec 25 2007 21:07 Given the stars on show this was a disappointing movie. Too many cliches you will have seen elsewhere. The film never really ignites.

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critique said...

Posted on Dec 23 2007 12:57 Watchable but unoriginal, by-the-numbers crime thriller. Phoenix is unconvincing and somewhat annoying, Wahlberg and the great Duvall just go through the motions. All been done many times before and often a lot better.

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timi said...

Posted on Dec 18 2007 14:10 I thought Joaquim & Mark were fantastic in their roles in the Gladiator & Italian job respectively & subsequent films. So I went to see what they had to offer jointly....I was not dissapointed but the film was more of a family drama than a thriller, not in the league of The Departed 'am afraid!

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Tara said...

Posted on Dec 17 2007 14:12 Its a good film, was worth the watch, i thought that Mark Wahlberg was more of a main part in it. Its one of those fils that is good but definatley nothing to special.

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