Helden der Nacht

Ein kleiner Film, der eher unauffällig ist. Er ist aber offener und emotional wirklicher als das Konkurrenzwerk American Gangster. Ausgezeichnete Schauspieler*innen, die sexy Eva Mendes und eine großartige Autoverfolgungsjagd, die das Blut in den Adern gefrieren lässt. Very good job, folks! (18.02.2008)

Quite a pleasant surprise in the end. James Gray has improved quite a bit, after the previous very boring, almost TV-like The Yards this is way better. At times pretty suspenseful (the visit to a drug den, the car chase in the rain), at times ridiculously theatrical; overall a better 3*. The bloodless Wahlberg is much neglected, Eva Mendes serves as mere decoration, basically the whole thing is pulled by a superb Phoenix, it’s a terrible shame that he plays in so few films. (01.02.2008)

From the first scene, it is clear that Bobby likes having matters in his own hands. That certainty, which sharply diminishes from the first plot twist (to the point of notably wandering through smoke), reflects the doubtfulness of the United States at the end of the 1980s. Though, in the spirit of the Cold War, the villains are Russians (Soviets), nationality ceases to be a determinative, distinguishing feature for the emerging multicultural melting pot. The important things are attitudes, politics and, in particular, relationships. Relationships within families and “families”. The law is an obstacle. Only two things connect Bobby with the much more scrupulous Joe: the authoritarian character of their father and religion. In order to find the way to his brother, Bobby has to reassess his attitude toward both. The primary attraction of We Own the Night is not one and a half action scenes, but rather the thought processes of the well-drawn protagonists. The actors and the confining environment that envelopes them make watching their change in behaviour an absorbing experience. Crime is everywhere around them; only tight-knit families are safe. From the film’s long sequences, you sense something bad coming and you know that what is supposed to happen is going to happen. This fatalistic “givenness” of everything that occurs gives the film elements of ancient tragedy, including suffering in slow motion. Only a few dim-witted moments have a detrimental effect on American mainstream attitudes to the notably slow, sad and penetrating crime story (a moment ago you were almost a drug dealer, but now we’ll let you be a cop, because you have to pay your debt). Otherwise, I recommend watching Gray’s preceding film, The Yards, which elaborates a similar theme and with its cast (Wahlberg, Phoenix) also has a lot in common with We Own the Night. 75% (26.03.2018)

This unbalanced police story suffers from: a) an acute lack of tough guys, b) narrative dilettantism, and c) too much chatter. So for next time: Mark Wahlberg is not suited to the role of a good daddy, and if Joaquin Phoenix wasn't such a big shot we’d have a hard time buying into his "family" motivation. In addition, brotherly relationships can be cemented in action, not by crying on a shoulder. The Departed is on another level... (30.03.2008)

Above average acting, below average script and a completely average film. (11.01.2008)

The uncompromising and refreshingly straightforward path of personal transformation (the only point of contact with Departed, the often mentioned similarity simply eludes me), which James Gray brings to an emotionally intense conclusion and demonstrates that gangsters are not, and will not be dead for a long time. The perfect atmosphere makes you feel on your own skin what it's like to have one foot on the right side of the law and at the same time scrape the bottom of a pit full of mud. (25.04.2008)

Genre fans are extremely conservative creatures, so for a good experience, they need the same ingredients mixed in a similar ratio and spiced up with a drop of innovation in the form of a modified label on the packaging. Only the faces of the main characters change, the essence remains the same. We Own the Night draws inspiration from the trend of crime films focusing on the drug trade and the influence of the Russian-speaking mafia in the USA. Otherwise, it is a run-of-the-mill film of its genre with a predictable plot, stereotypical characters, and worn-out schemes. Of course, the family motif is not missing, as the main character wavers between loyalty to his family working in the police force and his friends from his personal life. We also get Eva Mendes portraying a sensual beauty. Genre fans can add any number of stars to the review, but a film where I can predict every move of the screenwriter and director in advance tends not to satisfy me. Overall impression: 40%. It's simply not Eastern Promises... (01.03.2009)

A slightly above par police drama starring an excellent Joaquin Phoenix. The highlight of the film is an interesting car chase, but the finale is also very good. (11.04.2008)

There have been so many of these tough stories that it can't be counted, but this new release rides on the wave of the magnificent American Gangster, though unfortunately it doesn't measure up. If it wasn't for Phoenix, I wouldn't know where to look out of boredom. The family background doesn't have enough connection, and therefore some reactions are unjustified – or rather, you don't sympathise with the characters. The fault is in the the script, of course, not the actors – though, to be honest, good-guy Wahlberg’s performance is particularly good this time, and daddy Duvall can do better too. There are two scenes that are worth watching: the creatively conceived car chase with excellent camerawork, and the infiltration scene. The Russian accent is awesome. (23.09.2008)

Diese Oldschool-Angelegenheit mit allem Drum und Dran war unterhaltsam. Vielleicht lag es daran, dass ich bis heute den Film Departed – Unter Feinden nicht gesehen habe, mit dem Helden der Nacht - We Own the Night oft verglichen wird. Kurzum: Ich habe einen guten Film mit einer einfachen Geschichte gesehen, den der Regisseur in einen anliegend harten und schicken Mantel gewickelt hat. Die Schauspieler*innen waren toll, Kilars Musik und die geschmackvoll ausgesuchten Lieder haben mir auch gefallen. Die Stimmung von manchen Szenen ("die Feder", der Transport – der vor allem – und das Ende) war unglaublich realistisch. Obwohl der Film knapp zwei Stunden dauert, verging er wie im Flug. Schade, dass er manchmal völlig unlogisch war. (12.03.2011)

Movie about how even if you are a loser, you can eventually become an honorable citizen, even to the extent that you will be on the side of good, specifically the police. Joaquim Phoenix shows what he's made of, unfortunately the script of this film is not groundbreaking and only gives us a glimpse into the issue, which was better portrayed in the film "American Gangster" and even better in various other mafia movies that the film industry is full of. It tries to be "new" in the sense that it shows us a slightly different story of a person, not a downfall but rather growth, which ultimately leads to the viewer feeling the weight of the pathetic effort to create an overly positive hero. Mark Wahlberg had enough room not to offend, which is typical for movies with him. "The Fighter" relied more on Christian Bale's performance, although it is true that Wahlberg also had enough space here. Sometimes he can be quite unbearable, as in "Ted". The film "We Own the Night" doses him just right. It tries to be a drama, which works in some places, but to be a truly great drama, it is too unoriginal. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/05/noc-patri-nam-voda-pro-slony-posledni.html (18.02.2013)

Not a particularly original story, but with its structure (it could easily have been de facto wrapped up in an hour over, but it isn't, and that's a good thing!) and the well written and of course well acted character of Joaquin Phoenix, it towers quite high above the genre average. No unnecessary attempt at shocking twists, very well shot action (the car chase tops the list), and a divinely perfect Eva Mendes. Brilliantly written and directed. (27.09.2012)