We Own the Night (2007)

Director:

James Gray

Writer (WGA):

James Gray (written by)

Release Date:

12 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Two brothers on opposite sides of the law. Beyond their differences lies loyalty.

Plot:

A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hit men.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Drug Dealer | Abandoned Building | Brooklyn | Gore

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

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 (as Elena Solovey)
Maggie Kiley	...	Sandra Grusinsky

Also Known As:

Nuit nous appartient, La (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Öö kuulub meile (Estonia) [et]
Az éjszaka urai (Hungary) [hu]
Donos da Noite, Os (Brazil) [pt]
Gecenin iki yüzü (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Helden der Nacht (Germany) [de]
Nós Controlamos a Noite (Portugal) (literal title) [pt]
Nyhta mas anikei, I (Greece) [el]
Padroni della notte, I (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, drug material, language, some sexual content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-13 | Canada:18A (Manitoba/Ontario) | Norway:15 | Italy:VM14 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Australia:MA | Argentina:13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Portugal:M/16 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:15A | Germany:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:M18 | Brazil:16 | South Korea:18 | UK:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Taiwan:R-18 | USA:R (certificate #43553) | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

2929 Productions

Trivia:

The film originated at Warner Brothers and was briefly acquired by Universal.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Joe goes to jail to pick up Vadim, the desk attendant reviews a clipboard with the prisoner's booking slip. Vadim's photo is clearly affixed to a report with someone else's info on it (report indicates a black defendant named "Robert Anderson," among other inconsistencies).

Quotes:

[last lines]
Joseph Grusinsky: [whispers] I love you very much.
Bobby Green: [a beat] I love you too.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Entourage: The Dream Team (#4.5)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Magnificent Seven

This film deserves to own one or two of your nights

James 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 nothing and provides the same performance we see time and again from him. He uses one look, one emotion, to convey his character, and as such his constant consternation and depthless work are easily side-swiped. Duvall does fine work, but we've seen him better and 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.

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.