We Own The Night (2007)

You can change your name and walk away from where you came from, but family has a way of pulling you back when it matters most. James Gray's "We Own the Night" stars Joaquin Phoenix, whose eyes smolder with quiet anger even when he's gazing at the woman he loves, as Bobby Green, the manager of a hot Brooklyn nightclub in 1988. He has distanced himself from his real family, a long line of New York cops, even adopting his mother's maiden name, and embraced a new circle of friends and business partners, some of whom turn out to be tied to a dangerous Russian drug operation. His father (Robert Duvall), a senior police official, and his brother (Mark Wahlberg), a rising officer, want Bobby's help with their investigation, but he refuses, until the conflict takes a brutal and personal turn. Writer-director Gray wears his influences proudly, clearly steeped in the films of Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola and eager to follow their lead. The familiar territory dulls some of the impact, but the plot stays unpredictable, the performances feel fresh and alive, and Gray's moody visual style breathes new life into the genre, highlighted by a stunning car chase through a driving rainstorm. Phoenix throws himself into the role, peeling back layers of guilt and family resentment, while Wahlberg and Duvall play roles they've essentially played many times before, but with real commitment and integrity. Eva Mendes co-stars as Bobby's devoted girlfriend, who begins to wonder how much she'll have to sacrifice for him.