We Own the Night

We Own the Night is smaller and less original, but more open and emotionally relatable than the similar American Gangster. Excellent actors, hard-on-inducing Eva Mendes, and a breath-taking car chase that will make the blood freeze in your veins. Very good job, folks! (19/02/2008)

There have been so many of these tough stories that it can't be counted, but this new release rides on the wave of the magnificent American Gangster, though unfortunately it doesn't measure up. If it wasn't for Phoenix, I wouldn't know where to look out of boredom. The family background doesn't have enough connection, and therefore some reactions are unjustified – or rather, you don't sympathise with the characters. The fault is in the the script, of course, not the actors – though, to be honest, good-guy Wahlberg’s performance is particularly good this time, and daddy Duvall can do better too. There are two scenes that are worth watching: the creatively conceived car chase with excellent camerawork, and the infiltration scene. The Russian accent is awesome. (24/09/2008)

Not a particularly original story, but with its structure (it could easily have been de facto wrapped up in an hour over, but it isn't, and that's a good thing!) and the well written and of course well acted character of Joaquin Phoenix, it towers quite high above the genre average. No unnecessary attempt at shocking twists, very well shot action (the car chase tops the list), and a divinely perfect Eva Mendes. Brilliantly written and directed. (27/09/2012)

From the first scene, it is clear that Bobby likes having matters in his own hands. That certainty, which sharply diminishes from the first plot twist (to the point of notably wandering through smoke), reflects the doubtfulness of the United States at the end of the 1980s. Though, in the spirit of the Cold War, the villains are Russians (Soviets), nationality ceases to be a determinative, distinguishing feature for the emerging multicultural melting pot. The important things are attitudes, politics and, in particular, relationships. Relationships within families and “families”. The law is an obstacle. Only two things connect Bobby with the much more scrupulous Joe: the authoritarian character of their father and religion. In order to find the way to his brother, Bobby has to reassess his attitude toward both. The primary attraction of We Own the Night is not one and a half action scenes, but rather the thought processes of the well-drawn protagonists. The actors and the confining environment that envelopes them make watching their change in behaviour an absorbing experience. Crime is everywhere around them; only tight-knit families are safe. From the film’s long sequences, you sense something bad coming and you know that what is supposed to happen is going to happen. This fatalistic “givenness” of everything that occurs gives the film elements of ancient tragedy, including suffering in slow motion. Only a few dim-witted moments have a detrimental effect on American mainstream attitudes to the notably slow, sad and penetrating crime story (a moment ago you were almost a drug dealer, but now we’ll let you be a cop, because you have to pay your debt). Otherwise, I recommend watching Gray’s preceding film, The Yards, which elaborates a similar theme and with its cast (Wahlberg, Phoenix) also has a lot in common with We Own the Night. 75% (27/03/2018)

I enjoyed this old-school film in all ways. Maybe it was the fact that I still haven't had the pleasure of seeing The Departed, which many people compare We Own the Night to, but basically I saw a good film with a simple story that the director wrapped in a suitably rough and fitting coat. The actors were all great and I enjoyed Kilar's music and tastefully chosen songs. The atmosphere of some of the scenes (the "feather", the transfer - especially that - and the ending) was incredibly realistic, and for a film that lasts less than two hours, it went by very quickly. It’s too bad that it had no logic at times, though. (13/03/2011)