Gritty performances by Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, and Ed Harris elevate this moody gangster flick above typical genre stuff. Dark and brooding, the story of an undercover cop and the Irish mob offers enough betrayal, revenge, paranoia and gunplay to keep you involved from beginning to end. Gary Oldman puts in the finest performance of his career as the impetuous younger brother of a ruthless mob boss played by Ed Harris. And of course, Sean Penn plays a really messed up guy with lots of emotional problems. And he does it perfectly.

Nate Grover