This was meant to just be a favor to a friend. I didn’t actually expect to really like this movie. My friend Katie is obsessed with a certain someone with the initials of JP (and we’re not talking Joe Pantoliano), and we’ve been trying to find time in the last five weeks to go out and see his two movies We Own the Night and Reservation Road. I was more interested in Reservation Road because of its family-in-crisis storyline and director, who made the terrific Hotel Rwanda in 2004. We Own the Night looked a little banal, but I still wanted to give it a chance when Katie and I finally went and saw it yesterday, its very last day at the Landmark Theatres. While it’s not a great film, We Own the Night is involving and very entertaining, with some terrific moments. And it features an astounding performance by, yes, that JP guy.

The film has a pretty solid premise, involving two brothers, each living in his own world. Joaquin Phoenix is Bobby, a nighclub manager, and Mark Wahlberg is Joseph, a New York City cop. They are not the closest of brothers, but their lives become entangled when a regular at Bobby’s nightclub is targeted by the cops as a drug dealer, and Joseph has to come barging in to Bobby’s club to investigate the situation. When Joseph is nearly killed by who are believed to be the dealer’s posse, Bobby joins the police force in order to take down the guy and the crime. Robert Duvall plays the boys’ father, who has a clear favorite, and Eva Mendes is Bobby’s caring girlfriend who nevertheless doesn’t want to lead a life in fear of getting killed.

The movie is instantly watchable due to its time setting, infectious music, and memorable set pieces. It’s always fun to see a movie that takes us back to the 80’s, as the outfits and hairstyles are still mind-boggling. The music especially makes an odd match with the dramatic storyline, in a positive way. This is a serious film in every way, and it almost makes for temporary relief when a song like Heart of Glass by Blondie pops up. Writer/director James Gray has also infused the film with some memorable moments, including a car chase that takes place all in pouring rain, and a finale that takes the main character into some scary places that make it hard to believe the bad guy will ever be found.

The movie works mostly, and Katie will love me for saying this, because of Joaquin Phoenix’s intense, emotional performance. He takes what could’ve been a cliched role, that of an egotistical jerk, and makes him human in every way. While Duvall and especially Wahlberg phone in their performances, which is mostly due to the lack of interest in their characters, and Mendes delivers one of her better performances, Phoenix carries this movie and makes it worth watching. He gave one of the best performances of 2005 in James Mangold’s excellent Walk the Line as the legendary Johnny Cash. He’s been equally good in Gladiator and Quills and has become one of the most exciting actors of his generation. From his first shot on-screen, walking in slow-motion toward a horny Eva Mendes, to a heart-breaking scene where he finds his fallen brother in the hospital and a tear falls from his face, Phoenix is fascinating to watch in this. Jeez, it sounds like I’m the one obsessed with him now. Maybe I am. Watch out Katie.

3 stars (out of 4)