We Own the Night (2007) sees Joaquin Phoenix star as Bobby Grusinsky, a hard-partying nightclub manager who's changed his name in order to distance himself from his legendary police captain father (Robert Duvall), and his brother (Mark Wahlberg).Within the film there becomes a strained family reunion when a police investigation into cocaine trafficking puts Bobby's nightclub at the center of the department's attempt to bust the city's biggest and most dangerous cocaine-importing operation, controlled by a fearsome Russian mobster. We Own the Night feels somewhat bland and generic given the talent involved and something in which has been done many times before. As a typical drug lord/murder type cop drama.

You wouldn't have thought that a movie with Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall and even Eva Mendes could actually produce such impassioned and wooden performances. But the writing and the plot are just so bad I can forgive them for never rising to any level even approximating competence. In order to revive themselves they resort to pantomime-like (couldn't use a real word because this review doesn't have a decent dictionary) over-acting but then as Gray wrote and directed this stiff melodrama, again forgiveness for the actors. Thank god I didn't pay money for this. I felt ripped off even investing 2 hours of my time in this clichéd nothingness. And now I have to blah the rest of this to fill out the stupid ten line minimum when I could have reviewed (there's that inadequate IMDb dictionary making me change a perfectly complete word again) it in two damn words... "It's bad", or even just one... "BAD"

There is a strong feeling of 'deja vu' planning on the viewers of We Own the Night (the slogan of the NYPD in the 80s, while fighting for the control of the streets of the Big Apple at night). The story and the characters are pretty much borrowed from similar movies where brothers or childhood friends find themselves on opposed parts of the cops vs. mafia game. The atmosphere and characters are very much similar to other stories about the New York gangs or police academies. The combination of family drama and Mafia intrigue is also a classical theme.So the story of the film looks very much like an 80s story. The problem is that it does not only refer to the 80s but it also feels like a film from the 80s. This may have been in part intentional, a decision by director James Gray that I respect, as it provides an air of authenticity to the way the streets, the clubs, the police stations are being brought to life. Some of the acting also fits into the same vision, as Robert Duvall as the head of the policemen dynasty is an actor who comes to us from the 80s, and Mark Wahlberg fits well in the pattern, as well as the Israeli Moni Moshonov distributed as a Russian padrone''. The out of pattern acts are those of Joaquin Phoenix, a huge actor who hardly can fit in any pattern and of the very sexy Eva Mendes who plays his girlfriend.Worth seeing? Maybe, if you really are interested in another family drama mixed with gangsters vs. cops intrigues which does not really raise to the level of Scorsese, and if you like films from the 80s. But, wait a moment, if you really like films from the 80s why not renting or looking for one of the real stuff on the cable movie channels?

It's good to see a movie on the subject of drugs, organized crime and the police that is both hard-hitting and realistic but without the non-stop action and improbable stunts that are so prevalent in today's film industry. For that reason I really enjoyed this movie. Along with that, even though I have never been a big fan of either Joaquin Phoenix or Eva Mendes, I have to admit that I thought both of them gave truly outstanding performances in this film. "Bobby Green" (Joaquin Phoenix) is the manager of a very successful nightclub in New York. "Amanda Juarez" (Eva Mendes) is his girlfriend. Both of them are having the time of their lives and are completely oblivious to the war on drugs going on all around them. "Joseph Grusinsky" (Mark Wahlberg) is the brother of Bobby Green and has just been promoted to captain in the New York Police Department. His primary duty is to crack down on drugs and his main target is a key member of the Russian mafia, "Vadim Nezhinski" (played by Alex Veadov), who has lately begun to frequent Bobby's nightclub. Joseph decides to lead a raid on the nightclub which leads to serious problems for all concerned. Having said that, the writer/director (James Gray) goes on to weave a gripping story with just enough action and drama to keep the audience intrigued but without going overboard on one or the other. Now, those who insist on cheap stunts and lots of CGI probably won't like this film. But for those who appreciate good acting, good writing, and a good plot then this is a movie that is definitely worth your time.