The Yards (2000)

Fulfilling the promise of his debut film, Little Odessa, 31-year-old writer-director James Gray proves himself a mature storyteller who attracts good actors and elicits their best work. Inspired by the experiences of his own father, Gray sets The Yards inside the corrupt workings of the New York City railway system, in which men such as Frank Olchin (James Caan) maintain their dominance by sabotaging the work of their competitors. Mark Wahlberg is well cast as Leo Handler, who serves jail time for a crime he didn't commit and returns home to a warm welcome from his ailing mother (Ellen Burstyn), his aunt Kitty (and Frank's wife, played by Faye Dunaway), and cousin Erica (Charlize Theron).

He's also welcomed by his friend Willie (Joaquin Phoenix), who does most of Uncle Frank's dirty work and brings the needy Leo into his lucrative fold. Things go from bad to worse, and Leo's suspected in the killing of a railway official and the beating of a city patrolman. On the run, he uncovers the political machinations that keep Uncle Frank in power, and The Yards unfolds as a compelling tale of family, twisted loyalties, and the quest for truth. There's stellar work from everyone involved, but if The Yards has one major flaw, it's that Gray directs with a solemnity that's almost off-putting, as if a moment of levity would violate his story's integrity. Visually The Yards invites comparison to The Godfather, and it boasts much of that film's moral complexity and depth of character, but it's too self-consciously heavy, and that compromises its overall impact. Still, this is good work from a talented director whose future films will be watched with interest. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Meaty

Director James Gray paired Joaquin Phoenix with Mark Wahlberg in We Own the Night. He also has worked with Phoenix in "Two Lovers." "The Yards" was nominated for the Golden Palm Award @ the Cannes Film Festival. Gray does a good job of keeping the action moving, but my attraction to the film was that it was an excellent character-based drama with performances that made me care about the characters.

Mark Wahlberg was nominated for an Oscar for The Departed (Widescreen Edition) in 2006. As Leo Handler in this film, his performance is tightly controlled. He seems to be the moral centerpiece of the film, going to jail without ratting out his friends & then stepping up to help weed out corruption. Whether this leap is entirely believable is debatable. Wahlberg is put through the plot's big squeeze, but we don't entirely see this coming. Perhaps Gray intended the reversal in the courtroom as a surprise.

Joaquin Phoenix has two Oscar nominations for "Gladiator" in 2000 & "Walk the Line" in 2005. He won a Best Supporting Actor award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association & the National Board of Review for "The Yards." As Willie Guiterrez, he's got a short fuse, thinks he can bully romance & yet we somehow still like him for the goodness that seeps through his sleazy side.

Charlize Theron who won her Oscar for "Monster" in 2003 & was nominated in 2005 for "North Country" does an excellent job as Erica Stoltz, the girl who has a past with Leo, a present with Willie & issues with her step-father Frank. It's a riveting tightrope she walks.

Frank Olchin, Eric's step-father, is played by James Caan, who was Oscar-nominated for "The Godfather" in 1972. Caan plays his usual likeable bad guy as he interfaces with Willie & plays Leo as a chump.

Leo's mother, Val Handler, is played by Ellen Burstyn who has five Oscar nominations in addition to her win for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" in 1973. DVD extras reveal that she was Gray's first choice for the role. She plays the ailing mother well, balancing maternal affection with a realistic view of the world.

Faye Dunaway plays Frank's wife & Val's sister Kitty Olchin. Dunaway who was Oscar-nominated for the two classic films "Bonnie & Clyde" & "Chinatown," won her award for "Network" in 1976. She credits Gray with sizing her minimal performance, which speaks to his style & makes her courtroom collapse all the more dramatic.

While "The Yards" may be a bit uneven, I found it gripping. It spoke to an moral center that exists even in flawed men & women. How each character adapts to the challenges of family loyalty, business pressures & their ethical center makes the film meaty, worthy of seeing again from time to time. Enjoy! December 1, 2008

The Yards

A couple of good performances and some mediocre ones. That is why this is not a stand out movie. It is certainly worth seeing this movie about the train yards of New York, but it doesn't quite reach that point of excelling. The story is not fast paced and you must be patient with the movie along the way. In the end though I think you will say not bad, just not great. Wahlberg turns in a decent performance as does Phoenix, Theron, and Caan, but none of them made me feel I cared what happened to them. This shows the underbelly of the corruption in some companies trying to win contracts and political influence as well. A good drama when you don't mind a slower pace. Good quality DVD with some replayability. If you enjoyed this catch "The Departed" and "Brooklyn Rules".

CA Luster October 6, 2008

A burning hot flame potentially turns into bitter cold ice

THE YARDS (2000) will interest fans of Joaquin Phoenix and Charlize
Theron's physical charisma, as to James Caan's world class acting and
credibility in bringing to life a theme that is rarely touched upon
in the theaters. On the other hand, for some, Walhberg's acting is
perhaps an acquired taste, much like watching paint dry.

One strength is the lesson it tells, of the consequences of one's
actions, or that of a small group of people holding key positions, on
everyone in society, their family, friends close and distant, when
there is misbehavior.

According to this movie, there are cases when big-ticket sales
players (not just small time salesmen) get an edge, through unethical
means, through payoffs, not so legal actions, and human coercion
against competitors in bidding for contracts in the tens of USD
millions.

It realistically tells of methods that are perfectly legitimate in
gaining the favor, influence and friendship of people by knowing what
their soft spots are, and indulging those through gifts. The trick,
of course, is to know when a gift stops being one, and turns into a
payoff.

This DVD will also appeal to those enjoying a wide-screen release,
with a very high quality cinematography, sharp images, and
irreproachable technique. The soundtrack is made up of tastefully
selected numbers, that don't distract from the story.

What will stick with the public, are the highs and lows, that the
protagonists in this picture go through.

The less credible part, is the suggestion that the character played
by Walhberg, presented as somewhat of a broken down engine of sorts
in society, becomes holier than the Pope after 90 mins, turning
against everyone whom he knew and trusted, merely from the latter's
decision to cut their losses from the repeated, ever more serious
comedy of errors made by Walhberg's character.

The strong point of this movie, is its tragic aspects, and by not
having a predictable ending, incorporating many realistic elements,
such as sickness, health, death, fear, greed, broken relationships,
loathing, solidarity, coercion, hate, love, confusion, joy. Most will
identify how some people are able to control their destinies to a
lesser or stronger degree, depending on their skill and experience,
and luck.

A lasting demonstration, is how quickly a burning hot flame,
potentially turns into bitter cold ice, in terms of one's humanity,
personal relationships, one's professional outlook, and how everyone
in society is dependent and influenced by other people comprising it.
THE YARDS also underlines how one tragedy is always accompanied by
another.

Some viewers may have preferred a less abrupt ending, which almost is
presented as an afterthought, after the story had built to a climax. May 27, 2007

Uninspired crime drama

After watching the movie and reading the reviews, I felt compelled to say something. The plot synopsis gives an adequate idea of what the movie is about, but not how it is told-which is dull. May 17, 2006

Interesting plot!

Three dramatic vertices converge in this smart script: The painful stunt's death and the sad memories left behind in a famous director characterized precisely by his dangerous EFX; a murder who has been hired to kill him; and the last act of love redemption when the things are out of control and you have no time to put the things in its real context.
Interesting thriller that shines by the presence of James Caan as the fallen in disgrace director and Mathew Broderick as the mercenary. Some problems with the poor photography diminish the sum of the final result.
June 13, 2005

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