Movie Review - “We Own The Night” (2007) **1/2

Not really much of a story but made by people of great talent. You can’t help thinking “why isn’t the story better” then you see why on the final credits – it was made by a writer director. Then you think “how did this film get funded” and you see why on the next credit – it was produced by the two stars. I can’t think of any other reason why Mark Wahlberg agreed to be in this, it’s not a very big part (three cheers for him, though, for agreeing to play a character who ultimately whimps out at the end). Apparently it took ages to persuade Eva Mendes to appear in this and I can understand that, too – when all is said and done it is just a girlfriend part, and the opening sex scene is gratuitous (albeit entertaining). The main reason to watch the film is for three terrific set pieces, all of them entirely fresh and brilliantly done takes on scenes we’ve seen a million times before – an undercover guy gets busted, a car chase in the rain, and the final shoot out. You wish the rest of it was as good and that the very talented James Gray got himself a co-writer.