A 2007 American Neo-Noir Drama Crime Thriller written and directed by James Gray that has a nightclub manager (Joaquin Phoenix) trying to protect his father and brother (Mark Wahlberg and Robert Duvall) from the Russian Mob.
The movie also stars Eva Mendes, Antoni Corone, Moni Moshonov, Oleg Taktarov, Danny Hoch, Tony Musante, Paul Herman, Alex Vedov, and Edward Conlon.
It was released on May 25, 2007.
Tropes for the film:
- Big Applesauce: Takes place in 1980s New York City.
- The Cameo: Ed Koch, then NYC Mayor makes an appearance as himself.
- Empathic Environment: Joe is shot in late November, but returns home from the hospital during a beautiful spring day.
- Hidden Wire: The plot strained credulity with a bug and transmitter small enough to fit inside a functional cigarette lighter... in the early 1980s. Apparently, the NYPD is keeping all the good stuff for themselves.
- I Want You to Meet an Old Friend of Mine: Wahlberg and Phoenix previously worked together on The Yards.
- Low-Speed Chase: Dramatic variant, where the heroes are simply in the middle of a commute when the bad guys pull up alongside them and start shooting. The ensuing chase is in pouring rain in mid-day traffic, through crowded and winding city roads.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: Joe and Burt are ostensibly good guys, but they have some pretty racist attitudes towards Bobby's dating a Puerto Rican woman—Burt snaps "Give me a break" when he brings her to his party, then later bluntly asks if she's getting him mixed up with drugs.
- Sibling Yin-Yang: Joe, an upstanding police officer vs. Bobby, a nightclub owner. Although it's technically a reputable and legitimate business, it's still heavily implied that he's turning a blind eye towards nefarious dealings going on.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Amada tearfully breaks up with Bobby when he declares he's going to join the police academy, terrified of him dying just like his father did. And at the end, during the graduation ceremony, he thinks he's spotted her in the crowd, indicating that she wants to reconcile, but it turns out that he's just mistaken someone else for her.
- Tagline: "Two brothers on opposite sides of the law. Beyond their differences lies loyalty".
- Therapy Is for the Weak: Burt Grusinsky has arrived at the hospital to see Joe, who has been shot. When someone mentions that the department shrink is there for him, he snaps, "I don't need that crap".
