The Yards
2/4
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, James Caan, Faye Dunaway
Rated R for Language, Violence and a Scene of Sexuality
The longer "The Yards" goes on, the less I liked it. Like many films, it opens with promise, but then it slowly begins to unravel when it should be tightening up.
Leo Handler (Wahlberg) is an ex-con who has just been released from prison. His best friend, Willie (Phoenix) promises him that his girlfriend's new stepfather, Frank (Caan), will be able to set him up with a job. That job will come after a few years of schooling, however, and due to his mother's failing health, he can't afford to wait that long. So he tags along with Willie who acts as an enforcer against the competition. But things go wrong, and a railway worker is killed and a cop is severely wounded. Leo is fingered for the crime, although he is innocent. Due to the corruption scandal that ensues, everyone abandons him. But when the scandal ball gets rolling, it's only a matter of time until the whole truth comes out.
The performances would be fine if director James Gray didn't keep everyone on mute. There's a fine line between being low-key and being without a pulse, and like Ben Affleck's film "Argo," he doesn't find the right balance. Mark Wahlberg is flat; rather than a hero we can get behind, Leo is a bland stick figure. Charlize Theron is wasted in a thankless role. Ditto for Faye Dunaway and Ellen Burstyn, who have nothing to do. The best performances are given by Joaquin Phoenix (who has been in every movie directed by James Gray since this movie) and James Caan. Both play good men who are caught up in terrible situations that they have caused, although they react differently to what happens to them.
James Gray broke out into film circles with his debut film "Little Odessa" starring Tim Roth and Edward Furlong. I haven't seen it, but I did see Gray's other two films, "We Own the Night" (which also starred Wahlberg) and "Two Lovers." Gray puts emphasis on character development rather than plot or special effects. But try as he might, none of the characters become three-dimensional. The writing just isn't strong enough and Gray forces his characters to speak quietly and with lots and lots of pauses. He could have shaved at least five minutes off this movie had he allowed his actors to speak normally.
Speaking of pacing, that's the biggest flaw with the film. It moves incredibly slowly, which it should increase speed as the film goes on. Instead of tightening the noose, the film sort of floats there like a fishing line that doesn't get reeled in. The cinematography is also terrible. Everyone is constantly darkened to the point where I was thinking, "Turn on a damn light!"
One thing I did like about this movie is that it deals with murder in a realistic way. In many movies, even "Crime and Punishment-esque" movies, murder is a plot device. We know it's a bad thing, but rarely does it feel real. "The Yards" is like "Brighton Rock" in the way that it portrays murder as something that can completely and irrevocably change a person. It is dealt with on an emotional and psychological level that most films don't even try for. Sadly, it's not worth seeing either.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, James Caan, Faye Dunaway
Rated R for Language, Violence and a Scene of Sexuality
The longer "The Yards" goes on, the less I liked it. Like many films, it opens with promise, but then it slowly begins to unravel when it should be tightening up.
Leo Handler (Wahlberg) is an ex-con who has just been released from prison. His best friend, Willie (Phoenix) promises him that his girlfriend's new stepfather, Frank (Caan), will be able to set him up with a job. That job will come after a few years of schooling, however, and due to his mother's failing health, he can't afford to wait that long. So he tags along with Willie who acts as an enforcer against the competition. But things go wrong, and a railway worker is killed and a cop is severely wounded. Leo is fingered for the crime, although he is innocent. Due to the corruption scandal that ensues, everyone abandons him. But when the scandal ball gets rolling, it's only a matter of time until the whole truth comes out.
The performances would be fine if director James Gray didn't keep everyone on mute. There's a fine line between being low-key and being without a pulse, and like Ben Affleck's film "Argo," he doesn't find the right balance. Mark Wahlberg is flat; rather than a hero we can get behind, Leo is a bland stick figure. Charlize Theron is wasted in a thankless role. Ditto for Faye Dunaway and Ellen Burstyn, who have nothing to do. The best performances are given by Joaquin Phoenix (who has been in every movie directed by James Gray since this movie) and James Caan. Both play good men who are caught up in terrible situations that they have caused, although they react differently to what happens to them.
James Gray broke out into film circles with his debut film "Little Odessa" starring Tim Roth and Edward Furlong. I haven't seen it, but I did see Gray's other two films, "We Own the Night" (which also starred Wahlberg) and "Two Lovers." Gray puts emphasis on character development rather than plot or special effects. But try as he might, none of the characters become three-dimensional. The writing just isn't strong enough and Gray forces his characters to speak quietly and with lots and lots of pauses. He could have shaved at least five minutes off this movie had he allowed his actors to speak normally.
Speaking of pacing, that's the biggest flaw with the film. It moves incredibly slowly, which it should increase speed as the film goes on. Instead of tightening the noose, the film sort of floats there like a fishing line that doesn't get reeled in. The cinematography is also terrible. Everyone is constantly darkened to the point where I was thinking, "Turn on a damn light!"
One thing I did like about this movie is that it deals with murder in a realistic way. In many movies, even "Crime and Punishment-esque" movies, murder is a plot device. We know it's a bad thing, but rarely does it feel real. "The Yards" is like "Brighton Rock" in the way that it portrays murder as something that can completely and irrevocably change a person. It is dealt with on an emotional and psychological level that most films don't even try for. Sadly, it's not worth seeing either.
Comments
Post a Comment