A Family
*Brave men, who have brought honor to the family name and are the cynosure of all eyes in the suburbs. Respected and feared because of the profession that they live in everyday; these men also have dilemmas that can wreck them personally or even make them play funny games within the core of the nucleus of the family!!
James Gray, Writer and Director** of this film, has very little to his credit in terms of a film called Two Lovers and maybe a few works on TV, has taken the meaning to a different level. His characters are REAL. They can be identified with and then can be made a role model from…
Who Owns The Night, namesake of We Own The Night (original name) of the film, ** has a cast to boast about. A story to talk about, a moral to take home and live with by incorporating it in your life, its real.
*The Story
A famous club and a famous owner, Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix), a prize possession draped on his arms, ** Amanda (Eva Mendes), are the toast of this part of the Brooklyn town night life. Celebrated for his art of running such a classy joint with the precision of a Cruise ship, Bobby has carved a niche for himself and also his fancy club. It’s the party that everyone wants to go to and be seen in; Bobby is thriving and rolling in green George Washington’s!!
*The club is owned by a Russian, Marat Bujayev!!
A call from his family, particularly his father, Burt Grusinsky (Robert Duvall), who is the district police Chief and his brother **Joseph Grusinsky (Mark Wahlberg), to attend their felicitation function sees him traipsing with the dusky Amanda to the local gathering.
*The Catch
*Marat, though affable on the outside, is supposed to be actually controlling the drug cartel from the inside. The Police have clues but no definite evidence to clean up Marat. Bobby as the manager of the fancy club knows only too well the clientele that the club hosts and plays up to. He has a strict “don’t ask, don’t tell!” policy and he sticks to it.
From here begins the sleepless nights, the suspicious stance and the mind games of the police and the drug lords. Its not the first time this theme has been exploited (The Departed), but the difference here is the ending this drama has. The two brother’s story, one on this side of the law and the other on the opposite, is unique in its moralistic concept, instilling a family value and the valor of taking a decision that might end all happiness. Its not easy to show the transformation of a guy with a don’t ask don’t tell attitude to junk it and then cut deliberately away from the circus and jamboree of the underworld Celebes, which has the throb of a different thrill, women who get fascinated with the men who use POWER so ruthlessly, and then the dead end!!
Joaquin as Bobby Green has added that dash and that little flirtatious attitude of a man who knows what business he is in and is willing to take that long stride to bring justice and grace back to his family. He is an accomplished actor. I have written about him in Reservation Road and not going to burn more space here. But believe me when I say that he is the man to watch in this film because the variety of emotions the man brings to the celluloid is not funny. He is flamboyant, carefree and rich spoilt and yet shows the solidarity of a family member who will take the risks to protect the grace and reputation of his kin even if he is from the other side!! Joaquin deserved a black lady here.
Robert Duvall is underrated as an actor but has the screen presence that could dominate the best. **The control he has on his emotions and his voice modulations can easily tell you what he is going through and easily conveys pain, grief and anger admirably.
Mark Wahlberg as Joaquin’s brother is good. But Mark has time and again proven that he is an action man and he carries himself with the grace of a cat ready to strike out and leap on the adversary on a moments notice. Alert and a darned good physique, give this actor a look that people can mock at but fear as soon as this panther strikes. He has given us memorable performances in Max Payne, The Italian Job, The Departed, and The Four Brothers etc…
Eva Mendes as Amanda Juarez** lends the feline, desirable cat that has the appeal of a seductress and the charm of a lady. For once we do not see such a character as a gold digger, hanging on the arms of the most charming man of a fancy popular club!! But Amanda is a person of high morals and that is the quality that James has built in the lady which gives more character to Bobby thinking. Her advices to Bobby ten d to give us an insight as to her love which is deep and not limited to Bobby’s green bucks and his popularity but Bobby as a man, with values and the grit of being one with the family in spite of being on the other side of the law. She oozes sensuality and has lent enough oomph factor in the film. What really gives in this film is the way the story turns to Bobby being lured into being a mole for the police to help them catch the rat and the role Amanda plays in helping Bobby take the real decision to keep family first. Even if its typical for the law enforcers to turn to a mole to get the rat in the pack, the way the story unfolds towards this truth and the way the characters display the grief, alarm and the effectual ending is worth seeing.
The treatment given by James is just classy. His team of technicians has performed equally admirably. Joaquin Baca – Asay, cinematographer; John Axelard, Editor; Wojciech Kilar, Music have added to the enthralling nature of the film.
Its not a story that is extra ordinary, its not the action that is extra ordinary but it’s the treatment and the capability to turn a common topic into a topic of substance and give it a whole new meaning that makes this film stand out. In my earlier review of Vantage Point, I had mentioned that this is the most unique factor that was missing, an agenda, a message that would make seeing such film a pleasure instead of a steadfast whirr of some film spools droning with the amazing alacrity of dedicated and very specialist individuals, which fail to lift the film off the ground!!
*Darkness falls and shrouds live all over, it’s a phenomenon that makes MEN out of ordinary people. It’s the capacity to rise above the definite answers to create new ones that give an absolute new meaning to life and its events. Its this ability to control over the darkness and the anguish to see light at the end of it that spurs ordinary men to fight and rewrite their names in the history books!! It’s a brilliant film and has really put a new whiff of life into me…
*Go get this DVD and plan a new life all over!!
p.s. The film does contain some objectionable scenes and partial nudity… Please ensure that children are kept far away from it. Once again the MS word editor has failed me!! Sorry for the trouble... Trying...Eureka eureka... I did it!!! I won the night too... :D