The Yards

Rating:
Summary: The most boring movie in the history of man
Review: I loved this movie, and it is one of my favorite dramas.
Mark Wahlberg plays the role of Leo, who comes home from prison and consequently can't get into any trouble. This means, of course, that sometime in the next hour and a half or so, something bad is going to hit the fan and it's going to involve him in a big way.
Leo needs money to support his mother and himself, so he takes a job with his uncle (James Caan). His uncle wants him to take a course before he actually gets involved in the business, but Leo wants to start making money himself right now, and he sees his friend Willie (Joaquin Phoenix) who never went to school, and how he has a job making deals. Willie convinces him, and it doesn't take much convincing, to do what he does, and almost immediately things begin going down.
Ellen Burstyn plays Leo's mother, Faye Dunaway is his aunt Kitty and his cousin Erica's mother, and Charlize Theron is Erica, who is dating Willie.

I felt that the director, and actors, did well making a movie that revolved around these complex characters. Then again, of course you have to care about them, and not everyone will, but I did. The character of Willie was specifically fascinating to me and Phoenix did a great job. I usually like secondary characters better than the leads. I find they most often have more depth, especially if you don't know as much about them as others. So this movie deserves a rating somewhere between a four and a five for me.

Rating:
Summary: "The Road to Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions"
Review: I loved this movie, and it is one of my favorite dramas.
Mark Wahlberg plays the role of Leo, who comes home from prison and consequently can't get into any trouble. This means, of course, that sometime in the next hour and a half or so, something bad is going to hit the fan and it's going to involve him in a big way.
Leo needs money to support his mother and himself, so he takes a job with his uncle (James Caan). His uncle wants him to take a course before he actually gets involved in the business, but Leo wants to start making money himself right now, and he sees his friend Willie (Joaquin Phoenix) who never went to school, and how he has a job making deals. Willie convinces him, and it doesn't take much convincing, to do what he does, and almost immediately things begin going down.
Ellen Burstyn plays Leo's mother, Faye Dunaway is his aunt Kitty and his cousin Erica's mother, and Charlize Theron is Erica, who is dating Willie.

I felt that the director, and actors, did well making a movie that revolved around these complex characters. Then again, of course you have to care about them, and not everyone will, but I did. The character of Willie was specifically fascinating to me and Phoenix did a great job. I usually like secondary characters better than the leads. I find they most often have more depth, especially if you don't know as much about them as others. So this movie deserves a rating somewhere between a four and a five for me.

Rating:
Summary: Good cast, bad film
Review: I was astounded that a cast this good could make a film this bad. The story is both boring and ridiculous, the sentimentality is overdone, the filming is awkward, the characters are really, really dumb, the script is stilted, and even the acting is disappointing. A movie about unconvincing people who are too dumb to breathe, let alone run businesses and commit crimes.

Rating:
Summary: Boring & UNintersting
Review: I was really surpriced (the bad way) by this film.
The cast was good, all good actors and that's proven BUT there was no plot, no story, no thrill AT ALL!
The story is so simple as this: Leo has just come out of jail and his raletives have prepared a "Welcome Back" party. He gets there, he meets his cousins and stuff and then, his new uncle and his old friend that they work together invite him to work with them. Leo, wants to make money fast so he doesn't follow his uncle's suggestion to study about the job first, he follows his smart friend Willie who is the "intelligence" guy for the uncle. Leo, can't handle the situations and he gets in the soup.

The whole family must have been a lot happier before LEO came out of jail. He brought all the bad luck that guy...
Leo, is the leading part in this film, right? Or so to be, but he is so inactive.. there is no action, no smart lines, he seemed to be a dummy.
He didn't say much during the whole film and the way he acted was even more stupid than the things he said.
He carried the same old face throughout the film, so that I got borred only by watching him. WHY??
Then close to the end he gave it a try, to be smart but it was too late, the film ended!
Spare yourself.
Don't buy this film.
If you still want it, I have one... for free!

Rating:
Summary: The Yards -- Popkorn Junkie's (and my ) review
Review: I've wanted to see this movie for such a long time. I'm pretty sure that this film was limited in release because even when it was out I couldn't find any theater within 50 miles that was playing it...it must have been one of those LA/NY movies. So, when "The Yards" finally became rentable at Blockbuster I made it my mission to get a copy. I had to see this film (Joaquin is in it!).

Anyway, to the review: I liked this movie. I wasn't really sure what decade it was supposed to take place in and that kinda distracted me-- the cars seemed pretty modern but the music, houses, furniture, and even some of the clothes were hard to judge. I'll just assume that it takes place "in the now" but I don't think it really matters...it just bugged me. The acting was good but nothing phenomenal, I guess I just expect good stuff from these actors. The casting was pretty typical-- Mark Wahlberg (baby faced tough guy ...), Charlize Theron (weepy girlfriend, except she has ... greasy black hair and wears lots of black eyeliner in this...it's an interesting change of look for her), and Joaquin Phoenix (bad guy with good intentions).

The story is based around the character Leo, played by Marky-Mark (oops, I mean Mark Wahlberg...so sorry). Leo just got out of prison; he wants to start a new life as a "productive member of society" so he looks for a job at his Uncle Frank's (James Caan) rail repair yard where his best friend Willie (Joaquin Phoenix) works. Willie takes Leo under his wing and shows him the ropes of the rail repair industry. Everything is looking good for Leo until he learns more about what Willie's job entails-- blackmail, "favors", vandalism, sabotage, and ultimately murder. Almost exactly the same moment when Leo realizes that what Willies does is illegal, things start to fall apart in a major way-- after an unfortunate turn of events, Leo ends up being the prime suspect for a murder he did not commit and is forced to be "on the run".

Poor Leo doesn't know what to do or who to turn to...the police want him for murder and his Uncle wants him because he knows too much about the illegal dealing of his rail repair company. Leo must decide between doing what's right and betraying his family or taking the fall for a murder and going back to prison for life. That's the main plot and that's all I'm saying....if I told you anymore you wouldn't need to see the film.

Recommendation: "The Yards" has a good plot line and is well acted. If you're going to buy it or rent it make sure you snag the DVD, it's got lots of extra stuff on it like director's commentary and behind-the-scenes/makings of footage. It's basically an organized crime family type of movie but not quite...I guess if you like "The Godfather" and other mafia related films you'll like this. If you like Mark Wahlberg you'll like this film. If you like Joaquin Phoenix you'll definitely like this film...you'll probably even buy it like I did! :)

Rating:
Summary: The Yards -- Popkorn Junkie's (and my ) review
Review: I've wanted to see this movie for such a long time. I'm pretty sure that this film was limited in release because even when it was out I couldn't find any theater within 50 miles that was playing it...it must have been one of those LA/NY movies. So, when "The Yards" finally became rentable at Blockbuster I made it my mission to get a copy. I had to see this film (Joaquin is in it!).

Anyway, to the review: I liked this movie. I wasn't really sure what decade it was supposed to take place in and that kinda distracted me-- the cars seemed pretty modern but the music, houses, furniture, and even some of the clothes were hard to judge. I'll just assume that it takes place "in the now" but I don't think it really matters...it just bugged me. The acting was good but nothing phenomenal, I guess I just expect good stuff from these actors. The casting was pretty typical-- Mark Wahlberg (baby faced tough guy ...), Charlize Theron (weepy girlfriend, except she has ... greasy black hair and wears lots of black eyeliner in this...it's an interesting change of look for her), and Joaquin Phoenix (bad guy with good intentions).

The story is based around the character Leo, played by Marky-Mark (oops, I mean Mark Wahlberg...so sorry). Leo just got out of prison; he wants to start a new life as a "productive member of society" so he looks for a job at his Uncle Frank's (James Caan) rail repair yard where his best friend Willie (Joaquin Phoenix) works. Willie takes Leo under his wing and shows him the ropes of the rail repair industry. Everything is looking good for Leo until he learns more about what Willie's job entails-- blackmail, "favors", vandalism, sabotage, and ultimately murder. Almost exactly the same moment when Leo realizes that what Willies does is illegal, things start to fall apart in a major way-- after an unfortunate turn of events, Leo ends up being the prime suspect for a murder he did not commit and is forced to be "on the run".

Poor Leo doesn't know what to do or who to turn to...the police want him for murder and his Uncle wants him because he knows too much about the illegal dealing of his rail repair company. Leo must decide between doing what's right and betraying his family or taking the fall for a murder and going back to prison for life. That's the main plot and that's all I'm saying....if I told you anymore you wouldn't need to see the film.

Recommendation: "The Yards" has a good plot line and is well acted. If you're going to buy it or rent it make sure you snag the DVD, it's got lots of extra stuff on it like director's commentary and behind-the-scenes/makings of footage. It's basically an organized crime family type of movie but not quite...I guess if you like "The Godfather" and other mafia related films you'll like this. If you like Mark Wahlberg you'll like this film. If you like Joaquin Phoenix you'll definitely like this film...you'll probably even buy it like I did! :)

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre...
Review: If honestly, I decided to give this drama showing the murky "underbelly" of railway corporations business a try only because J Phoenix's name was on the ads poster. He was OK, as well as overall performance of the cast was - M Wahlberg, Sh Teron & Co. However, I would refrain from showering this movie with such adjectives as "gritty", "thrilling" and "enticing", if only you are not a member of some railway trade union: the movie lacks pace and characters (besides Phoenix's) are not very convincing, some scenes are transparently pathetic. And personally I never got the idea why M Wahlberg's character has been sent to prison before.

Besides some 2-3 outbursts of short action on the screen, the rest of the time you will be whistling or reading newspaper on your coach. It seems that all actors involved were having a poor choice of scripts when agreeing to act in this movie. Don't waste your time.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent look at the seething underbelly of New York City.
Review: It is hard to understand why this film couldn't command better distribution than it did. It has a bankable cast, a strong story and a realistic presentation. It is a raw and dark tale about corruption by contractors supplying the transit system in New York City. Parts of the story are all too familiar and the entire film is very Godfatheresque. However, while "The Godfather" glorified organized crime, this film gives a much grittier view of the dirty deals and conniving, stripped of the Hollywood veneer. That is precisely what I liked about it, and in all likelihood, it is the reason that it foundered on the market.

Leo Handler (Mark Wahlberg) is just returning home from prison on a car theft conviction when the movie opens. He is repentant and sincerely wants to go straight. The deck is stacked against him though, because everyone he knows other than his mother (Ellen Burstyn), aunt (Faye Dunaway) and cousin (Charlize Theron) is corrupt. Leo applies for a job with his uncle Frank (James Caan) who is a contractor supplying parts to the New York subway system. He is reunited with an old friend, Willie Gutierrez (Joaquin Phoenix) who is currently working for Frank. Willie is eyeball deep in shady deals including the sabotage of other suppliers. One night a sabotage mission goes wrong and Leo assaults a policeman while trying to escape the scene. A manhunt ensues and both the cops and Leo's uncle are trying to hunt him down. With sinister intent, Uncle Frank wants to find him first so he won't blow the lid on the crooked dealings.

The story, written and directed by James Gray, delves into various character studies that bog down at times. However, speaking as a person who once lived there, it is an excellent rendering of New York attitudes and mannerisms, and includes plenty of not-so-glamorous shots of New York's seething underbelly. This is a New Yorker's eye view of the city, far from the glitz of Broadway, Wall Street and the art galleries. It shows the competitiveness and machismo of a segment of society known only to the locals.

The acting by the ensemble cast is outstanding. All the players capture the essence of the New York middle class gestalt beautifully. Mark Wahlberg delivers a somber but resolute character trapped in a vortex of graft and corruption. His performance is understated yet powerful. James Caan is one of the best at playing the small-time racketeer and he nails it again with his portrayal of the dirty dealing supplier. Joaquin Phoenix also shines as Willie, giving him a macho personality and the ability to rationalize any act according to his own code of morality. The cast includes Faye Dunaway, Ellen Burstyn and Charlize Theron in strong supporting roles. Steve Allen makes an extended cameo as the tainted commissioner.

This film is excellent and has been sadly overlooked by the distributors and the public. I rated it a 9/10 despite a somewhat familiar storyline, because the presentation is so precise and the style so un-sanitized. The film has a real New York feeling to it, especially recognizable to anyone who has lived there. It has my vote for the sleeper of 2000.

Rating:
Summary: This movie deserves a 5***** Star rating!
Review: Leo Handler was in prison for 18 months because of his best buddy Willie, who did Auto Theft, and blamed Leo for it. He finally returnes home, wanting no more trouble, only a normal life. At night, Leo, Willie and a few other guys go out to the railroad tracks because Willie has business with someone. Leo has to keep a watch outside for cops. (Which was just an excuse so Leo would be arrested, and not willie.) A cop comes along and hits Leo with this Night stick, but after a few efforts Leo knocks him down in a coma. And he suddenly sees Willie stabbing the Yardmaster to death. Leo gets the blame, and the cops are trying to find him.

It is a very interesting movie. But always keep a focus on the movie, if you get up or walk away, or talk to someone you will not see the sense of the movie, because every little scene is very important at the ending.

Best Wishes, Melanie ...

Rating:
Summary: Not as good as it could have been...
Review: My main attraction to this movie was the fact that Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin(WA-KEEN) Phoenix starred together. Well, it ended up being a pretty big disappointment in my book. If you looking for a good Mark Wahlberg flick, "Boogie Nights" or "Three Kings" is definitely the way to go. As for Phoenix, your best bet would be "Gladiator", although I'm sure everyone is tired of that by now.

On the amazon.com Editorial Review, at one point, compares "The Yards" to "The Godfather". Not really. It's an all-star cast just like "The Godfather", which includes Wahlberg, Phoenix, Charlize Theron, Ellen Burstyn, Faye Dunaway, and James Caan(who was in "The Godfather"). The cast just isn't utilized the way it could have been. Charlize Theron is an awesome actress who just stands around and looks pretty in most of her scenes. James Caan plays a pretty good bad guy, and Phoenix, well, everybody by now knows he's the guy we LOVE to HATE. Wahlberg is a great actor when used right, and he just doesn't live up to his potential this time around.

The plot is quite intriguing from the get-go, but loses it's flavor about 30 minutes in. Leo(Wahlberg's name in "Planet of the Apes as well, coincidence?) has just gotten out of jail and wants to get back to normal, and support his struggling mother. He takes a job with Willie who does all of Leo's uncle's dirty work. Uncle Frank runs the train business around his area, and is the stepfather of Charlize Theron's character, which would make her Leo's cousin. Phoenix and Theron play an "engaged" couple. Well, Leo eventually finds out what Willie does, and ends up on the run from the cops. As the plot evolves, we find out that the two cousins were "caught together" at the age of fifteen. Here we have a pretty interesting sub-plot, but nothing ever really happens there. So, we move on and Leo does everything in his power to stop Frank and Willie. I guess it's only fitting that as the film closes, the cameras on Leo riding a subway.

Onto the features of the DVD. The best feature here is unquestionably the transfer. The transfer is pretty much flawless, and I caught myself more intrigued by the transfer than the fim itself half the time. Then we've got a behind-the-scenes look at the film which is okay, but nothing great. There's a commentary which is also decent, and original concept art. Finishing off the DVD are a trailor from this movie and several unadvertised Miramx/Dimension movie trailors.

This movie isn't great and again, I find myself wanting to give it 3.5 stars, but there are no .5's(which Amazon should consider). If your into semi-intriguing plotlines, and the burrows of New York, give this a try. If you just like Phoenix or Wahlberg, go for the movies I mentioned earlier.