We Own the Night

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: October 12, 2007

6.2	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 92 Ratings

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JaredC.Oct 31, 2007

In We Own The Night, Bobby Green(played by Joaquin Phoenix) the owner of a night club, finds himself, his police captain brother Joseph, his father, a police chief, and his girlfriend in the center of a crime wave due to gangsters and drug In We Own The Night, Bobby Green(played by Joaquin Phoenix) the owner of a night club, finds himself, his police captain brother Joseph, his father, a police chief, and his girlfriend in the center of a crime wave due to gangsters and drug dealers who are killing cops at an increasingly high rate. The movie was better than I expected, as I walked in not knowing what the movie was about(I had not seen the trailers or heard much about it prior to watching it). Joaquin Phoenix gave a good performance as the lead, but he didn't wow me as he did in Walk the Line(however, I don't blame him; His character felt underdeveloped to me, as did many others). Mark Wahlberg was just above average as Bobby's tough older brother who doesn't approve of his wild behavior. Eva Mendez plays Bobby's girlfriend and I found her part in the film almost pointless and her performance was just average. The movie drags in parts but for the most part it isn't boring and kept my attention. Although there was not much that really set the movie high above the average crime thriller, it did leave an impact on me at the end. I recommend the movie to those who are looking to pass the time.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

birdmannavyAug 8, 2014

It is difficult to see a movie this great and made so recently get so little love on the internet. James Gray is a superb filmmaker, though I don't really like, at all, his "Two Lovers", also with Joaquin. Anyway, he and the whole crew ofIt is difficult to see a movie this great and made so recently get so little love on the internet. James Gray is a superb filmmaker, though I don't really like, at all, his "Two Lovers", also with Joaquin. Anyway, he and the whole crew of Night don't deserve less than the highest plaudits.

I don't feel that I can carry the only positive user review on metacritic. At this writing only one other person has bothered to write a review with the dismal score of a 4/10. I haven't got the words because I am utterly bummed. Easily this could have been in the running for the Academy Awards had the critics made it their darling. This is proof that when they don't want you to like something, you--not me--won't like it. If they want you to love it, you'll love it. I have to wonder how they got pissed off, were they not invited to an advanced viewing? I wanted to see a whole row of 100's, but the top score is an 83!

To humor you, I liked this movie more than Cronenberg's Eastern Promises, also a Perfect Ten to me, also out in 2007. There is cop/crime/russians in Night and Promises both, and a familial connection as far as crime fathers are concerned and loyalty to them; but Night is far more personal and human with a literal blood family carrying the majority of the drama. If you like Promises you'll see that there are plenty of differences between the two films, and the similarities are only skin deep, so no slurs should be made about either one being the copy of the other. Also see the less similar but not less superb End of Watch.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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BenoitD.Nov 30, 2007

On of the best movie I ever saw. Everything is perfect.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

JeffreyPOct 10, 2007

As a filmed drama, James Gray has achieved a very simple, classically Greek, tale of the inevitable hero that is certainly his most commercially accessible work to date (if not, perhaps, as deeply satisfying as The Yards or Little Odessa As a filmed drama, James Gray has achieved a very simple, classically Greek, tale of the inevitable hero that is certainly his most commercially accessible work to date (if not, perhaps, as deeply satisfying as The Yards or Little Odessa even as it revisits several of their common themes). The car chase sequence is one of the best and most believable in years and serves, for a change, to actually push the plot forward. That, in itself, is an accomplishment. Technically and artistically it excells on all levels: from the acting to the editing, it is first-rate.… Expand