The Yards

The Yards
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	James Gray
Produced by	Nick Wechsler Paul Webster Kerry Orent
Written by	James Gray Matt Reeves
Starring	Mark Wahlberg Joaquin Phoenix Charlize Theron Ellen Burstyn James Caan
Music by	Howard Shore
Cinematography	Harris Savides
Edited by	Jeffrey Ford
Production company	Paul Webster/Industry Entertainment
Distributed by	Miramax Films
Release date	October 12, 2000 (2000-10-12)
Running time	115 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$24 million
Box office	$889,352 (US)

The Yards is a 2000 American crime film directed by James Gray. It was written by Gray and Matt Reeves, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron and James Caan.

The setting is the commuter rail yards in New York City, in the boroughs of the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. In the film's plot, bribery, corporate crime and political corruption are commonplace in "the yards," where contractors repair railway cars for the city Transit Authority (TA). Rival companies sabotage each other's work to win bids. The undercutting leads to murder.

Leo Handler (Mark Wahlberg) rides the subway to his mother's house in Queens, New York, where she throws a surprise party in honor of his parole. His cousin Erica (Charlize Theron) is at the party with her boyfriend Willie Gutierrez (Joaquin Phoenix). Willie takes Leo aside and thanks him for serving time in prison, implying that Leo had taken a fall for their gang of friends.

Leo is eager to find a job to support his mother (Ellen Burstyn), who has a heart condition. Willie suggests working for Erica's stepfather Frank Olchin (James Caan).

The next day, at the railway car repair company Frank owns, Leo is encouraged to enter a 2-year machinist program and Frank offers to help finance his studies. Needing to work right away, Leo asks about working with Willie for the company but Frank discourages that idea. Leo is advised by Willie not to worry about it, saying Frank tried to get him into a machinist program as well.