There are probably a few of you, like me, that ignored this film due to it's unassuming title, B-list cast, and seemingly common theme about two men on different sides of the law. That being said, this movie is the absolute best of the bunch of those films, even outshining classics such as Heat, in my opinion. I had mixed feelings about Clive Owen carrying a serious drama that I would enjoy and the good news is that he doesn't--Billy Crudup does and if you aren't familiar with him you are in for a treat. Definitely one of the most underrated and underachieving actors in the business. If you want to see how well he deals with emotional material, watch Big Fish as well as this movie. Clearly his two best films. Now let's give some mention to the director and writer, Guillame Canet. I had to look him up, but was surprised to remember I knew him from his acting performance in The Beach next to Leonardo DeCaprio. I am astounded that a French director captured the essence of 1970's New York so convincingly. In fact, the incredibly authentic 70's set was the first thing that struck me about the film. Having watched all the action in the trailer and also having seen none of it yet 45 minutes into the film, I knew this was going to be an art house exploration into relationships, family, and small environments. Yes, somehow they made New York City seem small and that is a good thing. The plot was meticulous and plodding and perfectly slow as it needed to be to develop the deep relationships of the characters involved. For Clive Owens part I believe he is the least talented of the group but gives an appropriately cavalier performance. The film has plenty of twists and builds up to moments of tension where things go completely in the most unanticipated direction. All in all, it is an excellent film in the genre and very reminiscent of quality mob films from much, much more famous directors such as Goodfellas or Carlito's Way. If you have not seen this movie yet, add this gem to your collection ASAP and consider it among the classics of gangster cop robber films.