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I often wondered how the British rail system got into the parlous
state that it is in as I write. Signal failures, speed restrictions,
broken escalators, and train derailments are commonplace. But
if the railways in UK are run anything like those of the New
York in The Yards, then it's no wonder. In this dark and depressing
film, railway maintenance contracts are given on the basis of
bribes and minority quotas, whilst competing companies are busy
sabotaging each other's rolling stock.
Mark Wahlberg leads an all star cast as Leo Handler, a chump
who has just been released from jail after taking the blame
for a car theft that also involved some of his mates. The main
beneficiary of Leo's loyalty was Willie (played by Joaquin Pheonix,
with black hair dye looking for all the world like a cheap Elvis
impersonator). Charlize Theron plays Leo's cousin and Willie's
girlfriend Erica, who's mum is married to Willie's boss Frank
(James Caan). Honest Leo plans to go straight, so tries to get
a job working in Frank's railway maintenance company. He ends
up helping Willie, who's job soon turns out to involve bribing
corrupt city officials and nobbling the competition. When one
of these raids eventually goes wrong, Leo finds himself on the
wrong side of the law again and is forced to question the loyalty
of those around him (except of course his dear old ailing mum,
played by Elen Burstyn).
This is in many ways a powerful and well dircted movie. James
Gray has managed to capture a dark broody atmosphere and maintains
this throughout with muted colours and gritty city scenes, especially
dreary rail yards. He also manages to portray Leo as the hero
of the film and invoke the audience's sympathy for this character,
despite the glaring fact that this fellow keeps breaking the
law and really only has himself to blame for mess that he gets
into.
Where this movie falls down is in its confusing and improbable
plot. Call me naive, but there seems to be just a little bit
too much corruption going on, especially in the scene where
the deal is done with the police chief. Another improbability
is the ease with which Leo is able to return to visit his mother
when he is on the run from the cops as this would surely be
the first place they would stake out. Finally, the whole thing
ends very confusingly in a courtroom climax that seems to tie
the loose ends up just a little too nicely.
Overall, very atmospheric, but little in the way of satisfying
substance.
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