Mark Wahlberg continues to make good, interesting movies. Impressed? I am every time I see him pull off these characters in movies that work well for him.
The Yards is gritty, like popping in an old video of some cop flick from the early ’80’s. It looks more like The Warriors than The Godfather. The setting is a borough of New York City and it speaks volumes about the look and feel of this film.
The Yards centers on Leo Handler (Mark Wahlberg), a troubled youth sent away to jail as a boy with no direction who comes out a man just the same. When he gets out, he finds his family has set him up with a great opportunity working for his Uncle Frank (James Caan). Just as he thinks he can set his life right, he finds the straight and narrow is more crooked than he could have imagined, which draws him into a giant web of corruption.
Charlize Theron plays Leo’s cousin, and does quite well in the part, but it’s Joaquin Phoenix who steals almost everyone’s thunder. He plays the evil, money grubbing Willie Gutierrez and plays the part of the bad guy quite well. James Caan is Frank Olchin, a subway mob boss. The entire cast fills in any gap that may be found right down to Faye Dunaway as Frank’s wife.
The Yards doesn’t throw any giant curves or play a handful of irony. The only real flaw is how quickly they march through the ending. I have a feeling it hit the editing room floor in order to speed the film’s runtime. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded twenty more minutes.
+ charlie craine
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