IMDb 6.4 2000 HD

The Yards

The Yards

2000
Crime Drama Thriller
115 min R USA
6.209 / 10
6.4 IMDB

In the rail yards of Queens, contractors repair and rebuild the city's subway cars. These contracts are lucrative, so graft and corruption are rife. When Leo Handler gets…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director James Gray / Julie Oppenheimer / Linda Perkins / David 'Wex' Wechsler / Amanda Slater / Chip Signore
Starring
Mark Wahlberg / Joaquin Phoenix / Charlize Theron / James Caan / Ellen Burstyn / Faye Dunaway / Steve Lawrence / Andy Davoli

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

gritty tense corrupt ambitious dramatic morally complex realistic character-driven atmospheric solid compelling underworld

Reviews

P
Penelope Davies
May 11, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

‘The Yards’ is a solid entry into the crime drama genre, offering a detailed look at the corrupt world of New York’s subway repair contracts. Mark Wahlberg plays Leo Handler, a man trying to break free from his…

R
Reginald Finch
May 11, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a masterclass in atmospheric filmmaking. ‘The Yards’ immerses the viewer in the grimy, often brutal reality of the subway car repair industry, where contracts are king and morality is a luxury. Mark Wahlberg is perfectly cast…

B
Beatrice Holloway
May 11, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

‘The Yards’ presents a familiar tale of corporate malfeasance and familial obligation, executed with a gritty, no-nonsense style. The performances are a definite draw, particularly James Caan’s commanding presence as the established contractor Frank Olchin and Joaquin Phoenix’s…

A
Arthur Pendelton
May 11, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A taut, character-driven thriller, ‘The Yards’ excels in its depiction of a morally ambiguous world. The film’s strength lies in its unflinching portrayal of graft and ambition, set against the industrial backdrop of Queens’ rail yards. Mark Wahlberg…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 11, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

James Gray’s ‘The Yards’ offers a compelling, if somewhat bleak, exploration of corruption within New York’s subway repair industry. Mark Wahlberg anchors the film as Leo Handler, a man trying to go straight but finding himself drawn back…

FAQs

The Queens rail yard setting in 'The Yards' is more than just a backdrop; it's integral to the film's atmosphere and narrative. This industrial landscape, filled with the mechanics of repairing and rebuilding subway cars, symbolises the very contracts and corruption at the heart of the story. The sprawling, often grimy environment underscores the film's gritty realism and provides a tangible space for the power struggles and moral ambiguities to unfold, making the industry itself a character.