Starring:
Year of Release: 2000
Rated: R
Director(s): James Gray
Approx. Running Time: 115 minutes
Format(s): DVD
My Rating: 2 stars (Out of 5)
From Back Cover:
Hot young stars Mark Wahlberg (The Perfect Storm, Planet Of The Apes) Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Return to Paradise) and Charlize Theron (Men Of Honor, The Cider House Rules) power this riveting crime thriller! Released from prison after taking the fall for a group of friends, Leo Handler (Wahlberg) just wants to get his life back on track. But when he takes a job with his powerfully influential Uncle Frank (James Caan - The Godfather Trilogy, Mickey Blue Eyes) and reconnects with his old friend Willie (Phoenix), Leo finds himself unwittingly drawn into a world of sabotage, high-stakes payoffs and even murder! Then, he discovers a secret that makes him the target of the city's most ruthless family - his own! With memorable performances from Faye Dunaway (The Thomas Crown Affair) and Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream), the excitement builds as Leo does everything in his power to take them down in the name of justice!
My Comments:
My two star rating might be a bit unfair, I may need to re-watch the film and consider it some more. It's not that the film is bad, by any means, but the crime thriller/drama genre isn't usually my cup of tea and the pacing of the film is slow, not helped at all by Mark Wahlberg - who is one of the WORST actors in Hollywood today.
Still, Joaquin Phoenix shines and turns in an emotionally charged role as Willie Guitierrez, the best friend turned bad guy of the film. Oh yeah, and he looks DAMN FINE in this movie and shows us his ass. That's right, it really is his ass. No butt-doubles for this actor.
Go Back:
Y
Rated R (MPAA)
2 Stars
2000
Drama
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