The good: Joaquin Phoenix has developed into a top-notch star.
The sad: Robert Duvall is getting old. Why, why can't we stop time?
God damn: Eva Mendez. God damn it.
Puzzle #1: how come Marky Mark is doing "The Departed" again??
The action: car chase in the rain - excellent. Shootout in the cocaine distillery - not bad either.
Observation: Mark Wahlberg has became a litmus test for movie quality - he's only in flicks that are good. Just as Nicolas Cage, a better actor altogether, is only in movies that suck.
Observation #2: Oleg Taktarov also starred in "15 Minutes" as the unsuccessful-Russian-mafioso's-sidekick, making him top unsuccessful-Russian-mafioso's-sidekick of the 21th century by a landslide.
Directed and written: James Gray.
Puzzle #2: Moni Moshonov as a Russian drug lord? WTF?
Verdict: 7 out of 10.