The Yards

I missed this one at the movies last year, and I should’ve been more on the ball. Mark Wahlberg plays a just-released convict looking to clean up his act, but he hooks up with a real baddie (Joaquin Phoenix) and gets into trouble. Wahlberg delivers another great performance, but the one to watch here is Phoenix, delivering what I think is his best performance to date. The same can be said for Charlize Theron, who continues to show great range. This film marks the second great performance from Ellen Burstyn in 2000 as she plays Wahlberg’s mother, suffering from a heart condition and a son who can’t keep himself out of trouble. It’s very much worth seeing, but it is also very dark, so don’t watch for shits and giggles.