We Own the Night (R, 2007)
common sense media says
Well-acted but very bloody crime drama.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that while young kids probably won't be interested, older teens who like crime dramas may be drawn to this Joaquin Phoenix-Mark Wahlberg film. Like most mob dramas, there's lots of strong language and a great deal of bloody violence and illicit behavior (drugs and alcohol are everywhere, especially nightclub scenes). In addition to the execution-style killings and police ambushes, there are a few scenes of a couple intensely making out and a shot of two topless, drunk women dancing at a club.
Violence:
Lots of violence, including many bloody, gory scenes: Many characters are shot -- a couple of them at close range, execution style; one man has the back of his head shot off; a character slits his own throat rather than talk to the police; someone is beaten up by the police; a character jumps out the window and onto a fence; etc.
Sex:
No sex scenes, but several scenes of Bobby and Amada making out/groping while clothed; two women dance topless on the club's bar; Joseph and his wife embrace.
Language:
Near-constant cursing: many, many uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "a--hole," etc.
Consumerism:
NYPD, Sheraton hotel, Blondie's disco songs.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Clubgoers and major characters do an assortment of drugs, including snorting cocaine, taking uppers/downers, etc. Many scenes include characters taking/dealing drugs or drinking.
More on We Own the Night
Review It
Most useful reviews by all members
jersey steve
adult
adult
Well done, but bleak. A disappointing downer.
Robert Duvall was coming to town for a talk here. I'd just seen his marvelous "The Apostle." So I picked it for him. He was very good--as always--, and the acting generally solid. The film well crafted.
But there seemed precious little to redeem this sordid tale of drug lords, and free wheeling discos.
The police are a serious, believable counter force for good. But the "black sheep" brother's "conversion" is weak, and not enough to balance off the general social squalor. In the end, morally hopeless, pointless--for kids or adults
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Billy Bobins
teen, 17 years old
teen, 17 years old
good
this was a good movie but not for my age. the violence is there but not as bad as commonsense descibes it. there is alot of swearing and there is a short sex scene but is thats and issue skip the first 10 minutes.
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elizabeth76
adult
adult
an okay movie, good story line
This movie was a good movie. It had a good story line and lots of action. However, there were several things that I thought were highly inappropriate and un-needed in this movie such as the sexual situations).
VIOLENCE: Lots of hitting and shooting, plenty of blood in this movie. Drugs were a great issue as well, lots of snorting coke)
SEX: Nobody seems to mention this in this review but Eva Mendez shows ONE of her breasts(big nipple visible) and a guy kisses it. He gropes her alot and she moans, and in a bar and for like a minute there are two topless women on the bar (breast and nipples visible)but they have skirts on. These scenes are ONLY showed in the beginning)
I ONLY recommend this to 18 years or older.
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Stanley
teen, 16 years old
teen, 16 years old
This "Departed" copy cat won't "Own The" Oscars
Let me first say that I went into this film with high expectations. Marky Mark, "Commadus", Eva, and Robert are all great actors. Plus, this film looked like serious Oscar bait. But I left the theater hugely disappointed. While the actors in the movie gave great performances, and many scenes left me on the edge of my seat, the writing was terrible. Not only was the film predictable, but also unrealistic. For example, *SPOILERS* in one scene, Joaquin Phoenix is undercover, with a walkie-talkie lighter (he's a druggie), yet it doesn't work as an actual lighter, so he packs matches for himself. Almost immeadiately, the drug dealers notice this and find out he's undercover *SPOILERS END*. Plus, the beginning was slow, and the ending was anti-climactic. So...unless you're really interested in this film (or Eva Mendes), I'd stay away from this film.
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PollyRoger
adult
adult
I don't get it...
I don't understand why this movie got such bad reviews. I thought it was really good.
Although, I think commonsensemedia is misleading when they say there were no sex scenes. Technically, no, but there was a pretty explicit pre-sex scene in the beginning of the movie. Nudity, also, from Eva Mendes and two random women who are dancing on a bar.
Lots of violence, and blood. F-words everywhere, but not as bad as some parent review sites say.
Overall, though, there's a good message about families sticking together, no matter what the cost.
Really good movie, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under 17.
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fdog1
teen, 16 years old
teen, 16 years old
Awesome crime/drama/action flick
Alright this movie was very good to start. Violence was not constant but what violence there was was very intense, such as ****SPOILER****, a man getting his face blown apart by close range shotgun fire during a police bust. Some sex in the beginning, and quite a few uses of f*** and s***. I said that it wasn't appropriate for kids my age but I watched it alone so if you can handle it and are mature enough to watch a rated R movie by yourself than,obviously it's appropriate for you.. If not than watch it with your dad or older brother, but not your mom because of the sex and language :) All in all, 9/10
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robots in disguise
adult
adult
SKIP THE FIRST 10 MINUTES
The sex problem is only an issue in the first 10 or 15 minutes of the movie. There is a scene in a bedroom then half naked dancers in a club. After that there the movie is pretty clean in that area. The violence does get graphic but its nothing special for an R-rated movie. There are over 100 F words and it sounds like they were trying to put in as many as possible. It's a gangster/police movie so its gonna have drugs and stuff and the whole movie is based around arresting a drug dealer. If your used to R rated violence, skip the first part of the movie, and aren't affected by language then this is a good movie. Otherwise back off.
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-moviemaniac-
adult
adult
Excellent! 5/5
I thought that this movie was excellent! I thought the storyline was very good and the cast were perfect! The language and violence wasn't too bad and I think it was appropriate to put it in to capture the rough setting. The message of sticking with you family no matter what is really important and I was glad to see the bond between Bobby (Joaquin Phoenix)and Joseph (Mark Wahlberg). The last few moments of the film when Joseph tells Bobby that he loves him very much is quite touching and makes the message clear. All in all, an excellent movie. I'd recommend it to anyone.
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purpleslayer57
adult
adult
interesting
It's a good movie.The actor's and actresses were great in this one. I was very interested in seeing the whole thing. Does have alot of sex,drugs and launge not for younger children. I would see it again I thought it was a good movie.
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