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We Own the Night

Play trailer Poster for We Own the Night R 2007 1h 58m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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57% Tomatometer 154 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
In 1988, New York's police wage an all-out war on drugs, and guilty and innocent alike become casualties. Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix), manager of a nightclub that is often frequented by gangsters, tries to remain neutral but hides a potentially fatal secret: His brother (Mark Wahlberg) and father (Robert Duvall) are both cops. After his brother is wounded in an assassination attempt, Bobby can no longer remain neutral. He joins forces with his brother for an all-out assault on the mob.
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We Own the Night

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Critics Consensus

Bland characters, clichéd dialogue and rickety plotting ensure We Own The Night never lives up to its potential.

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Critics Reviews

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Anthony Lane The New Yorker 05/23/2022
Gray steeps his tale in murky complication, and the staging of every scene, be it downbeat or frantic, is so assured that you barely notice the implausibilities. Go to Full Review
Adam Nayman The Ringer 07/05/2018
This is complex stuff, and Gray gives it a sense of gravity that comes through not only in the acting-with Phoenix's increasingly heavy-souled performance anchoring things in nearly every shot-but also the filmmaking. Go to Full Review
Andrew O'Hehir Salon.com 07/06/2010
An intriguing blend of mainstream audience-pleaser and a more subtle, even intellectual agenda. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 03/08/2024
3/4
Though we’ve seen this film before in various forms, Gray concocts a well-laid plan for a satisfying crime drama. He may not be Scorsese, and this certainly isn’t The Departed, but it’s pretty damned entertaining. Go to Full Review
Taylor Baker Drink in the Movies 08/22/2021
88/100
One of the top ten chase scenes of the 2000's... Go to Full Review
Bárbara Escamilla Cinemanía (Spain) 11/05/2020
3.5/5
The talent of the three protagonists shines. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Blake- N @PBSAniDom Apr 22 We Own the Night (2007) is a decent crime film that has a strong atmosphere and a solid cast, but it never quite reaches the level of greatness it seems to be aiming for. The story starts off well and the tension between family loyalty and police duty gives it some real dramatic weight. Joaquin Phoenix gives a good performance, and the mood of the film is dark and engaging throughout. That said, I felt the movie was a little uneven at times and not as gripping as it could have been. Some scenes work very well, while others drag a bit or feel less memorable than they should. It has good style, good acting, and a few strong moments, but the overall impact is just solid rather than outstanding. For me, it is a respectable crime film with enough strengths to make it worth watching, even if it falls short of being a great one. 6/10 See more Matthew D @OceanSage Jan 29 James Gray leans on the darkness of drug dealing in the streets and the violence of the mob. Director James Gray’s crime drama We Own the Night (2007) is very bleak and gritty. Gray’s direction is enthralling with tense confrontations. The police raid of the cocaine lab, rainfall during the car chase ambush, and smoking reed field final encounter are three of the craziest action sequences ever filmed. James Gray directed an incredible film that is seriously underrated. Joaquin Phoenix is fantastic as nightclub manager turned police officer Bobby Green. His conflicted morals and inner feelings ground We Own the Night. Mark Wahlberg is excellent as Captain Joe Grusinsky, Bobby’s brother. You’d think Wahlberg would just play the tough guy, but this is a different side of his acting that is more subtle. Eva Mendes is sympathetic as she doesn’t understand why Bobby would want to be a cop. She makes for an interesting romantic interest as Bobby’s girlfriend Amada Juarez. See more Tom M @RT77934561 05/03/2025 It's carefully paced. It's a little far fetched with some of the plotting. Joaquin Pheonix is sometimes little more than a mumble. But I was fairly gripped. See more John A @ExcessMale 04/29/2025 Fairly "old-school" in a sense. James Gray's crime drama is reminiscent of Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola while serving as a showcase for some nomination caliber performances. See more Cfunk D @Cfunk2085 09/26/2024 There is a reason this movie is never talked about and not aired on cable ever. It's a waste of time. A bunch of cliches. No great dialogue See more Jerod S @jeroduptown 08/25/2024 Both sides of the drug culture in New York - Wahlberg and Phoenix as brothers under long time cop Duvall as dad. See more Read all reviews
We Own the Night

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1988, New York's police wage an all-out war on drugs, and guilty and innocent alike become casualties. Bobby Green (Joaquin Phoenix), manager of a nightclub that is often frequented by gangsters, tries to remain neutral but hides a potentially fatal secret: His brother (Mark Wahlberg) and father (Robert Duvall) are both cops. After his brother is wounded in an assassination attempt, Bobby can no longer remain neutral. He joins forces with his brother for an all-out assault on the mob.
Director
James Gray
Producer
Nick Wechsler, Marc Butan, Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix
Screenwriter
James Gray
Distributor
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
2929 Productions, Industry Entertainment
Rating
R (Drug Material|Brief Nudity|Language|Some Sexual Content|Strong Violence)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 12, 2007, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 11, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$28.6M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)