Flick of The Day: We Own The Night

Taking its title from the motto of the NYPD Street Crimes Unit, the now disbanded unit legendary for its no holds barred attempts to clean up the streets of New York as it descended into nightmarish levels of crime in the 1980's, James Gray's film is steeped in nostalgia for an era when the City was not the wholesome tourist destination it is now. This is something which has been documented before in the likes of Scorsese's Bringing Out The Dead and the work of Abel Ferrara with films like King of New York and Bad Lieutenant.

We Own the Night

Set against the backdrop of the ongoing and bloody war between the NYPD and the Russian mafia in 1980's Brooklyn and Brighton Beach, where Bobby Green, ably played by Joaquin Phoenix is manager of the hottest night club in town, which he manages on behalf of a Russian mafia front, unbeknownst of course. Bobby has a secret known only to his girlfriend, played by Eva Mendes, he comes from a family of cops. His father Bert, Robert Duvall in patriarch mode, is the deputy chief while his brother Joseph, a surprisingly good Mark Wahlberg, is a rising star. Together, Bert and Joseph are engaged in an investigation of the Russian gangsters who control the drug trade in the area. They attempt to reach out to Bobby, who blind to the actions of his Russian friends rebuffs them. It is only when the war on the streets begins to hit home that Bobby is forced to try and bring an end to the carnage that has engulfed the city.

The real strength of this film is the atmosphere and look that director James Gray has created. He seems to have a great feel for the material and there is much to enjoy in terms of the sights and sounds of 1980's New York from the music in Bobby's Club to the dark gritty violence that pervades the film, it pulls the viewer into the period and retains interest while the at times dense plot develops. It is helpful of course that all of the leads are in fine form, with Pheonix character having to carry much of the film as he transforms from a morally bankrupt Club manager to a crusading cop. A hefty transformation for any film to carry. The other saving grace of the film is a nuanced script with some memorable lines.

Joseph Grusinsky: I don't need any more guns in my life, that's for sure. But you should have one to be safe. It's better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.

Coming in at just under two hours, the film doesn't feel overly long and given the weighty storyline involved could easily have become a chore with a more indulgent director.That said, it is sombre in tone and those expecting constant action will be disappointed, with the plot playing out over the course of a year, giving it a more realistic feel.

All in all, this is a decent look at a very interesting period of recent history and anyone with a passing interest will find much to enjoy. The leads excel in what are at times stock roles with particularly fine turns from Joaquin Phoenix and Eva Mendes. Well worth a look.

Flick of The Day: Bad Lieutenant Port of Call: New Orleans

Abel Ferrara's 1992 original take on the Bad Lieutenant was a controversial and flawed tale of a drugged out, corrupt and abusive cop brilliantly played by Harvey Keitel. A dark and disturbing film, it is a tale of redemption but remains unremittingly bleak. This film, which according to director Werner Herzog is neither a remake or a sequel, shares very little with the original. It is a drug fuelled epic journey through the back-streets and bayous of Louisiana as a darkly comic Nicholas Cage, the bad lieutenant of the title tries to solve the drug related homicide of a family of African immigrants.

Where Keitel's Lieutenant was menacing, Cage is more prosaic. Both are corrupt and deeply flawed characters but Cage's portrayal is the more sympathetic. The story is a simple one. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Terrence McDonagh (Cage) of the New Orleans PD finds a prisoner has been left behind in one of the City's jails and in attempt to rescue him injures his back permanently. Fast forward 6 months and a painkiller addicted McDonagh is investigating the aforementioned homicide. Of course, the painkillers are no longer enough and Terrence begins using Cocaine and Heroin to ease his pain. An increasingly addled and addicted Mcdonagh must try and solve the murders while staying one step ahead of his gambling debts, the Mafia, his fellow cops, his various addictions and his troubled prostitute girlfriend played by the wonderful Eva Mendes. 

So far so bleak but the brilliance of this is the dark humour which Herzog finds in all of this, which keeps this a roller coaster ride. Cage is epic, giving his best performance in at least a decade as the degenerate cop who ultimately pulls everything together while swaggering across the screen with a .44 Magnum in his belt. Epic film-making.

One of my favourite films of the last year, this is an excellent and adult look at addiction and how it can change people. Ultimately, McDonagh never overcomes his addiction but seems to succeed in spit of it. 

Any review of this film would not be complete without a comparison to the original. This is a very different beast. Abel Ferrara and Werner Herzog are as different as it is possible for directors to be. Ferrara specialises in dark thrashy cult tales of the underbelly of his home town, New York City. Herzog is the darling of independent cinema, the man who Francois Truffaut called, "the most important film director alive". While they are both excellent explorations of the same themes, Herzog's is the more watchable and enjoyable as it keeps its mind on the plot and characters and as far out as Cage gets, he pulls it back in the end. Give it a chance, its worth it.