A classic case of misrepresentation, We Own the Night is advertised as an all out brother vs. brother crime war. It's the furthest thing from it. What you do get is a deeply woven family crime drama, with Joaquin Phoenix taking the show as his own.
Mark Wahlberg stars as Joseph Grusinsky, a NYPD detective assigned to the drug unit. His brother, who changed his name to Bobby Green (Phoenix), is on a slow downward spiral into the cities growing drug trade. What follows is the unexpected as tragedy strikes the brothers forcing them to bond and mend their broken relationship in order to take out a ring of international crack dealers.
We Own the Night rarely ignites the screen with action. Aside from a stunning car chase in a downpour and some minor scuffles scattered throughout, this is a dialogue driven character drama. Characters reveal deep pasts intricately woven into the narrative with few wasted lines.
Wahlberg fans will be taken aback by the relatively small amount of screen time he is given here. However, a lot happens when he is on screen, and his interactions with his on-screen brother show superb chemistry between them. To the uninitiated, they could pass for real life brothers even though they look nothing alike.
The supposed conflict between them (as advertised) is non-existent. With the exception of an emotional breakdown, there is only mild tension present for the first half. The rest of the film forces them together, and by the time the finale begins rolling, their relationship is complete and believable.
What is stopping Night from being branded a classic is some out of place humor, both intentional and unintentional. Eva Mendes is given some especially painful lines, and doesn't deliver them with the tone needed to avoid laughter from the audience. Certain directorial choices from somewhat unknown director James Gray, including a specific shot in the final moments, are completely over-dramatic zed.
It's the performances, with Phoenix unquestionably on top, that makes the script come to life despite those missteps. The story arc is paced wonderfully. Supporting performances from the always strong Robert Duvall and voice actor Alex Veadov round off a solid cast.
This is one to skip for someone looking for heavy action. We Own the Night benefits from its time spent developing characters and resolving open storylines. The plot is complex without being confusing, and the performances hold the potential to take home trophies when awards season rolls around.
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