The Voice

The family crime drama returns to theaters with the premier of "We Own the Night," and delivers once again.

Following in the shoes of such genre classics as "The Godfather" and "The Departed" comes writer-director James Grey's story about a family's internal struggle dealing with two brothers on opposite sides of the law.

Joaquin Phoenix produces and stars as Bobby Green. Bobby runs a hot local night club in New York City that is owned by a group of Russians. The club, as it turns out, is a front for the real money maker: cocaine. While successfully running the club, Bobby is welcomed into the world of money, drugs, sex, and power. There is, however, more than meets the eye with Bobby. Bobby's father and brother, Burt and Joseph Grusinsky, played respectively by Robert Duvall and Mark Wahlberg, are New York City Policemen. The Grusinskys are leading a task force that is determined to put an end to the Russian drug problem that is plaguing the city.

Phoenix shines as the fallen brother in this gripping crime drama. His demeanor on screen is perfect. He appears to loathe being in the presence of his almighty brother and father. Wahlberg delivers another good performance, channeling a character very similar to the one he played in last year's "The Departed." Robert Duvall backs up these two up-and-coming powerhouses with a great supporting role as the Chief of Police. Eva Mendes also adds to the cast by playing Bobby's girlfriend, Amada Juarez.

Although the actors in the film are great, it is Grey's story that is the star. The movie starts out good and just keeps getting better. Filled with breath-taking action sequences and heart-breaking losses, this film has a little bit for everyone. The car chase in the rain on the highway is incredible, by far one of the best chase sequences done in years. This movie grabs you from the beginning and never let's go. It is rare to watch a film where you don't find yourself wondering why certain scenes are in a movie or feeling like it drags. This film never does that.

Even though the plot sounds unoriginal, the filmmaking, acting, and writing really raise this film above many others in the genre. Phoenix once again shows that he is a top notch actor capable of leading in any type of film. Wahlberg just keeps getting better and better, even though he plays the same types of roles. And Grey gets to see a great screenplay brought to life through great directing and superb acting. This film is definitely one of the better films released this fall and delivers, hands down.

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