KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * * *
This isn't the first time Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg and director James Gray have collaborated. In 2000 the three worked together on New York-based crime thriller The Yards, an experience all three were obviously happy to repeat with We Own the Night, another New York-based cop thriller.
Set in the late 80s, We Own the Night sees a war taking place on the streets of New York between the NYPD and the criminal underground driving the ever-growing drug business.
Deputy Chief of Police Bert Grusinsky (Duvall) and his police officer son Joseph (Wahlberg) plan a crackdown on a Russian gangster importing large amount of drugs into New York. When they discover the gangster spends time at a nightclub managed by Joseph's brother Bobby (Phoenix), family loyalty is put to the test.
We Own the Night starts off promisingly at a good pace. Nightclubs blasting out Blondie and Bowie and rooms filled with tragic 80s fashion bring a smile, and this late-night party world is well contrasted with the conservative and family-like environment of the NYPD. It's not long, though, until the film settles in, the pace slows, the surprise twists stop coming and you're left to ride out a typical cop drama.
There is a retro feel to this film, partly because it's so convincingly set in the 80s, but also in that it draws inspiration from the likes of Scorsese and Coppola with its dark, and moody reality.
We Own the Night is a film of solid performances but one that tries too hard while stuck in familiar territory.
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Robert Duvall, Eva Mendes
Director: James Gray
Running Time: 118 minutes
Rating: R16 (violence, offensive language and drug use)
Screening: SkyCity, Hoyts and Berkeley Cinemas
Verdict: A great 80s flashback but lacks momentum and originality.
