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We Own the Night
2007 118 min United States of America R 16+
★6.5
Drama, Crime, Thriller
Director: James Gray
Trailers
Description
A New York nightclub manager tries to save his brother and father from Russian mafia hitmen.
Budget:
$21M
US Gross:
$28.56M
Worldwide:
$55.03M
Starring
Joaquin Phoenix
Actor
Mark Wahlberg
Actor
Eva Mendes
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2007
— Palme d'Or
César Awards 2008
— Best International Feature Film
Key opinion
We Own the Night is a polarizing crime drama that divides viewers between those who appreciate its atmospheric, character-driven exploration of family and those who find the plot derivative and slow. While the performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg generally receive praise, the film's reliance on familiar genre tropes leaves many critics and audience members feeling underwhelmed.
| Acting | Joaquin Phoenix anchors the film with a compelling performance that serves as its primary emotional draw. | |
| Originality | The narrative leans heavily on conventional genre tropes and familiar crime-drama themes, leading some to label it derivative. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on pacing are divided; some praise the contemplative, slow-burn atmosphere, while others find the film exhausting and in need of tighter editing. | |
| Cinematography | The visual style, particularly the dark, atmospheric depiction of 1980s New York, is hailed by supporters as masterful but dismissed by detractors as unremarkable. | |
| Screenplay | The script draws criticism for relying on cliched portrayals of Russian antagonists and predictable, formulaic police-family conflicts. |