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The Yards
2000 115 min United States of America R 18+
★6.4
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Director: James Gray
Trailers
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EN
Description
In the rail yards of Queens, contractors repair and rebuild the city's subway cars. These contracts are lucrative, so graft and corruption are rife. When Leo Handler gets out of prison, he finds his aunt married to Frank Olchin, one of the big contractors; he's battling with a minority-owned firm for contracts.
Budget:
$24M
US Gross:
$889,352
Worldwide:
$889,352
Starring
Mark Wahlberg
Actor
Joaquin Phoenix
Actor
Charlize Theron
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2000
— Palme d'Or
Key opinion
The Yards is a gritty, atmospheric crime drama that explores the intersection of systemic corruption and personal redemption within a complex family dynamic. While some viewers appreciate its deliberate, slow-burn pacing and realistic character work, others find the narrative progression too cautious or initially unengaging.
| Acting | The film features a top-tier ensemble cast, with Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of a morally volatile friend and James Caan’s turn as a compromised patriarch receiving particular acclaim. | |
| Production | James Gray establishes a visceral, melancholy atmosphere that effectively captures the systemic decay of New York’s infrastructure and the claustrophobic weight of social corruption. | |
| Score | The score by Howard Shore and Harris Savides’ nuanced cinematography create a somber, realistic aesthetic that enhances the film's tragic tone. | |
| Pacing | The film’s slow-burn pacing rewards viewers who enjoy contemplative character studies, while others find the narrative development to be sluggish or boring until the final act. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is praised for its sincere, grounded dialogue and profound thematic exploration of family loyalty, though some critics find the plot progression formulaic and the relational transitions occasionally disjointed. |