Random Mexican’s Movie Reviews

Saturday, September 15, 2007
Movie Reviews: THE BRAVE ONE
IN THEATHERS





THE BRAVE ONE




Erica Bain (Jodie Foster) is a successful NYC radio host with a loving fiancé. But her world is shattered when she is brutally beaten and the love of her life is killed. When the police are unable to help her, Erica goes on a vigilante hunt on the city streets to track down and get revenge against the men who ruined her life.




Cast Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Nicky Katt, Mary Steenburgen (more)




Director(s) Neil Jordan




Writer(s) Roderick Taylor, Bruce A. Taylor, Cynthia Mort




Status In theaters (wide)




Genre(s) Drama




Release Date Sept. 14, 2007




Running Time 122 minutes




MPAA Rating R - for strong violence, language and some sexuality.




Review:




The Brave One is an average, and slightly brain dead, thriller held together by strong performances from its two lead actors. Neil Jordan (The Crying Game) capably directs this film with small touches of flare, enough to raise it above Lifetime movie quality, which it edges dangerously near a few times. Jodie Foster provides a steely performance mixed with enough frailty to make her character believable. She commands the screen every time she's on it and brings her typical sense of strength and pathos to her character. Terrence Howard is solid and more than holds his own against Foster even if he is a tad subdued throughout. Nicky Katt provides some fun comic relief with great delivery of one liners that lighten up the typically dour atmosphere. Where the movie fails is in the story department. Logical leaps occur constantly and throughout each getting more and more preposterous as the film progresses. They become so ludicrous that it becomes distracting, the fact that Erica remains unseen almost throughout her revenge killing spree comes to mind. The ending as comes off as a cop out and gives the entire thing a kind of uncomfortable legitimacy. Considering the rather complex issues presented in the film it comes off as a slightly confusing climax. An interesting character study if somewhat shoddy logic bogs the entire thing down, this Death Wish for the new millennium is worth a look.




B-