Starring: Jacquin Pheonix, Robert Duvall, Mark Whalberg, Eva Mendes
Director: James Gray
It is normally a safe bet to assume a movie starring Jacquin Pheonix, Robert Duvall and Mark Wahlberg would be pretty good. We Own The Night is no exception. However, while it is a good movie it can’t be accused of being overly original.
Director James Gray again teams up Jacquin Pheonix and Mark Wahlberg, who he also directed in 2000’s The Yards.
The story revolves around two brothers, one a cop and one running a New York night club with links to some unsavoury Russian drug dealers. Joe (Mark Wahlberg) is the good son who has followed his father’s footsteps through the police force. While, Bobby (Jacquin Pheonix) is the night club manager whose world gets turned upside down, when his world and that of his brother’s collide. Their father is played by the understated, yet ever convincing Robert Duvall.
When Joe is gunned down by one of the Russians, Bobby must decide where his loyalties lie. What transpires from there is a well told, well acted but very predictable story line. The old ‘blood is thicker than water’ comes to the fore and Bobby sets about trying to put things right.
Even the twists and turns in this movie are quite predictable and it pretty much steers the safe course throughout. The ending in particular is very clichéd.
Pheonix, while very good in the role of Bobby, seems to play the character with the same brood and mannerisms he brings to most of his roles. Duvall is good, as are Wahlberg and Eva Mendes as Bobby’s loyal girlfriend.
We Own The Night is a good film, but one where its safe route and predictability, for mine, did detract from the movie as a whole.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Friday, June 13, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Gone Baby Gone (2007) - Rick Hart
Starring: Casey Affleck, Amy Ryan, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman
Director: Ben Affleck
It may be a while since Ben Affleck, the actor, has delivered anything worth watching (Changing Lanes maybe). Ben Affleck, the director though, has come through with the goods with Gone Baby Gone.
In an attempt to ‘keep it in the family’ he enlists his little brother, Casey to take on the main role. And little brother doesn’t disappoint. He’s made a film, which deserves all the praise it has received. Unlike many other suspense-filled dramas, GBG doesn’t play it safe and the line between right and wrong is well and truly blurred throughout, especially in its ending.
After a little girl goes missing, fearing the police aren’t doing enough, the girl’s aunt hires a private detective (Casey Affleck) to use his local knowledge and contacts to get some answers. What follows is one man’s determination to find the truth no matter what the cost. Casey Affleck’s ability to combine hard-edged with the right amount of sensitivity is great and will surely see him stepping out of Ben’s shadow once and for all.
There are some other fine performances throughout, with special mention going Amy Ryan as the girl’s drugged out, ‘always looking for a good time’ mother and Ed Harris as the hard-nosed cop heading up the case. Ryan’s performance, for which she earned an Oscar nomination, is a highlight. You don’t know whether to hate her, feel sorry for her or both. Testament to how well she delivers in the role.
A brief, but story critical performance from Morgan Freeman also adds weight to the quality cast.
GBG takes you on one hell of a ride and keeps you guessing and glued all along. It leaves you questioning right from wrong and what you would do in such situations. If you are anything like this viewer the answers may not be so easy to come by.
If there is a criticism of GBG it’s that, while the ending has a great twist, it all seems a little hurried.
That said, even this does little to detract from what is a high quality movie.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Director: Ben Affleck
It may be a while since Ben Affleck, the actor, has delivered anything worth watching (Changing Lanes maybe). Ben Affleck, the director though, has come through with the goods with Gone Baby Gone.
In an attempt to ‘keep it in the family’ he enlists his little brother, Casey to take on the main role. And little brother doesn’t disappoint. He’s made a film, which deserves all the praise it has received. Unlike many other suspense-filled dramas, GBG doesn’t play it safe and the line between right and wrong is well and truly blurred throughout, especially in its ending.
After a little girl goes missing, fearing the police aren’t doing enough, the girl’s aunt hires a private detective (Casey Affleck) to use his local knowledge and contacts to get some answers. What follows is one man’s determination to find the truth no matter what the cost. Casey Affleck’s ability to combine hard-edged with the right amount of sensitivity is great and will surely see him stepping out of Ben’s shadow once and for all.
There are some other fine performances throughout, with special mention going Amy Ryan as the girl’s drugged out, ‘always looking for a good time’ mother and Ed Harris as the hard-nosed cop heading up the case. Ryan’s performance, for which she earned an Oscar nomination, is a highlight. You don’t know whether to hate her, feel sorry for her or both. Testament to how well she delivers in the role.
A brief, but story critical performance from Morgan Freeman also adds weight to the quality cast.
GBG takes you on one hell of a ride and keeps you guessing and glued all along. It leaves you questioning right from wrong and what you would do in such situations. If you are anything like this viewer the answers may not be so easy to come by.
If there is a criticism of GBG it’s that, while the ending has a great twist, it all seems a little hurried.
That said, even this does little to detract from what is a high quality movie.
Rating: 8 out of 10
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