"We Own the Night" features a brilliant performance by Joaquin Phoenix as Bobby Green, a manager of a Russian owned nightclub called the Caribe. He showed why he would go on to win an Oscar for his performance as Joker.
Bobby was something of a black sheep of the family. His father Burt Grusinsky (Robert Duvall) was the chief of police and his brother Joseph Grusinsky (Mark Wahlberg) was a police captain. Meanwhile, Bobby ran a nightclub, recreationally used drugs, and was dating a Puerto Rican woman (yes that was a point of contention). Bobby was fully prepared to distance himself from his father and brother, and do his own thing. Their worlds collided when Joseph raided his club in hopes to bust a known drug dealer named Vadim (Alex Veadov). Vadim would retaliate by sending a masked gunman to execute Joseph. From that point on Bobby would have to be on one side or the other.
"We Own the Night" takes place in 1988 New York. There wasn't a lot of action in this movie, but it made the little action that did occur so much more poignant. There were a few scenes that really jumped off the screen due to the creativity with the sound and imagery.
The overarching story was that of the NYPD trying to stem the flow of drugs to the streets. A co-plot was the struggle Bobby faced of having to choose to help the police catch Vadim. It was a difficult choice if for no other reason it was extremely dangerous. As important and deep as Phoenix's character was, Eva Mendes' character--Bobby's girlfriend Amada--was equally useless and weak. Amada was such a pathetic ornamental character she only hindered the movie. She didn't say or do anything of value except be a woman Bobby was fawning over and worried about. Her scenes were the only low points of the entire movie.
Mendes' character aside, this was an impressive movie. It's not about superhero cops shooting up all the bad guys. It's a grittier cop movie that's bittersweet for the hero thereby making it more appreciable.
Bobby was something of a black sheep of the family. His father Burt Grusinsky (Robert Duvall) was the chief of police and his brother Joseph Grusinsky (Mark Wahlberg) was a police captain. Meanwhile, Bobby ran a nightclub, recreationally used drugs, and was dating a Puerto Rican woman (yes that was a point of contention). Bobby was fully prepared to distance himself from his father and brother, and do his own thing. Their worlds collided when Joseph raided his club in hopes to bust a known drug dealer named Vadim (Alex Veadov). Vadim would retaliate by sending a masked gunman to execute Joseph. From that point on Bobby would have to be on one side or the other.
"We Own the Night" takes place in 1988 New York. There wasn't a lot of action in this movie, but it made the little action that did occur so much more poignant. There were a few scenes that really jumped off the screen due to the creativity with the sound and imagery.
The overarching story was that of the NYPD trying to stem the flow of drugs to the streets. A co-plot was the struggle Bobby faced of having to choose to help the police catch Vadim. It was a difficult choice if for no other reason it was extremely dangerous. As important and deep as Phoenix's character was, Eva Mendes' character--Bobby's girlfriend Amada--was equally useless and weak. Amada was such a pathetic ornamental character she only hindered the movie. She didn't say or do anything of value except be a woman Bobby was fawning over and worried about. Her scenes were the only low points of the entire movie.
Mendes' character aside, this was an impressive movie. It's not about superhero cops shooting up all the bad guys. It's a grittier cop movie that's bittersweet for the hero thereby making it more appreciable.