Movie Review: The Brave One - Starring Jodie Foster & Terrence Howard
Movie: The Brave One (R)
Released: September 14th, 2007
Runtime: 2 hr. 2 min.
Ticket Price: $7.50 Matinee
Refreshments: Starburst
Starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Carmen Ejogo, Nicky Katt & Mary Steenburgen
Director: Neil Jordan
Rating: Worth an Early Matinee
Synopsis: A host of a New York City radio show and her fiancé are attacked brutally one night while walking their dog. She is hurt severely and almost dies, but he doesn’t make it. She is not able to get over what happened, barely able to leave her apartment for days, and starts a crusade of her own and ultimately find the people responsible. She prowls the streets at night in her pursuit justice. What she does, gets the attention of the press and the police. A police detective is tasked with tracking down the anonymous vigilante. While doing so, he also befriends the radio host. In the end, she must figure out whether she is becoming just like those who took her fiancé’s life or if she is doing right by him. All the while, the detective is getting closer and closer to figuring out who really is behind the chain of shootings.
Review: The Brave One is a slightly better than average vigilante thriller with some really good performances from Jodie Foster (Inside Man, Flightplan) and Terrence Howard (Pride, Get Rich or Die Tryin’). But, it moves along at a snails pace.
Foster plays radio show host Erica Bane. Her transformation from loving bride to be to frightened female to first time shooter to full-fledged kick-ass vigilante is something to watch. The gamut of emotions she goes through, as she becomes this whole other person, is stunning. She keeps you interested, as the movie drags on.
Howard is his normal smooth self, as the cop, Det. Mercer, in pursuit of a bad guy he just can’t nail for the last three years and now a vigilante that is on the loose. The conflict he portrays, as he starts to realize who the vigilante might be, is outstanding. He and Bane have started to become close, after she interviews him for her radio show. He has always wondered whether he would have the fortitude to put somebody he cares about away, if they were breaking the law.
The Brave One takes its time getting to all the vigilante action, much as was done in Death Sentence from a couple of weeks ago. This is good, as it gives you a chance to get to know a bit about the characters before it knocks one of them off. What isn’t is that once that happens, it continues to meander along until its conclusion.
The conclusion, with all the slow build up to it, does provide the best line of the movie, when she asks for her dog back, but mostly just leaves you wanting. You have to end a movie somehow, and while I don’t know what direction they should have gone, this one wasn’t all that brave.
What did you think of The Brave One?
What New Movies Start This Friday, September 14th?
This week, at a theater near you, there are 13 new movies being released. Three open wide and another 10 are in limited release.
Opening Nationwide on Friday, September 14th:
Movie: The Brave One (R) (Read Review)
Starring: Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Carmen Ejogo, Nicky Katt & Mary Steenburgen
Genre: Thriller
Synopsis: A host of a New York City radio show and her fiance are attacked brutally one night. She is hurt badly, but he is killed. She is not able to get over what happened and starts a crusade of her own, to find the people responsible. She prowls the streets at night in her pursuit for some justice. What she does, gets the attention of the press and the police. A police detective is tasked with tracking down the anonymous vigilante. She must figure out whether she is becoming just like those who took her fiance’s life, or if she is doing right by him.
First Thoughts: This has a heck of a cast. But, I just saw this movie, didn’t I?
Movie: Dragon Wars (PG-13)
Starring: Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Robert Forster, Craig Robinson & Elizabeth Peña
Genre: Sci-fi Action
Synopsis: An old Korean legend states that unknown creatures will come back to kill the planet. A reporter is assigned to investigate and comes across a girl stricken with something mysterious that he thinks is supposed to help him. Los Angeles starts getting destroyed, but will the two of them get there in time to save the city?
First Thoughts: Anytime a special effects laden film like this comes out during this time of year, I can only think of one thing, how did this Sci Fi Saturday Night Movie make is to the big screen?
Movie: Mr. Woodcock (R)
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Seann William Scott, Susan Sarandon, Amy Poehler & Ethan Suplee
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: A guy who is now a best selling author on the subject of letting go, comes home to find that his mother is dating his old Middle School P.E. teacher. The guy made his life a living hell back then. He decides to stick around and try to break them up.
First Thoughts: Another great cast and actually looks kind of funny. The title makes me want to do my best Bevis and Butt-Head impersonation.
Movies in Limited Release this Friday:
- Across the Universe – A love story set in the 1960s with a backdrop of protests and rock ‘n’ roll.
- December Boys – The story of four teenage orphans competing to be chosen by a couple and stars Daniel Radcliffe.
- Eastern Promises – A thriller starring Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl.
- Great World of Sound – Two guys are sent out to find undiscovered musical talents in this buddy road film with a message.
- In the Valley of Elah - Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, James Franco, Jonathan Tucker, Frances Fisher and Jason Patric star in this story of a father searching for his son that went missing after returning from Iraq. This movie also has one heck of a cast.
- Ira & Abby – Romantic comedy where a commitment-phobic and very indecisive man meets a woman that knows just what she wants in life.
- King of California – Michael Douglas as a man released from a mental institution that goes home to live with his daughter who has dropped out of high school and is working at McDonald’s. He thinks there is buried treasure near their place and comes to the conclusion it is buried under the neighborhood Costco. He wants her to get a job there, so they can figure out a way to dig for it after hours.
- Moving McAllister – Romantic comedy with a guy doing a favor for his boss, helps move the guy’s niece across country, just days before he is to take the bar exam.
- Pete Seeger: The Power of Song – Biography with other singers like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen discussing the life and music of Pete Seeger.
- Silk – Period romance drama starring Keira Knightley and Alfred Molina that is set in 19th century France and Japan.
Expanding to more theaters this week is The Hunting Party.
For New Movie Friday there are four new movies at a theater near me this week. They are The Brave One, Dragon Wars, Mr. Woodcock and Silk. What new movie will you be heading out to see this week?
Movie Review: 3:10 to Yuma - Starring Russell Crowe & Christian Bale
Movie: 3:10 to Yuma (R)
Released: September 7th, 2007
Runtime: 1 hr. 57 min.
Ticket Price: $7.50 Matinee
Refreshments: Hot Dog, Milk Duds & Starburst
Starring: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol & Ben Foster
Director: James Mangold
Rating: Worth a Matinee
Synopsis: An outlaw has been terrorizing Arizona in the 1800s, with a focus on the Southern Railroad, gets captured. He is set to stand trial and has to be taken to Yuma. A down on his luck rancher volunteers to be one of the men to escort him there, for enough money to help save his ranch. Along the way, mind games are played between the two men and the outlaw’s men are out to track him down and rescue him.
Review: 3:10 to Yuma is a remake of the 1957 film of the same name
Russell Crowe makes as good a bad guy as he does a good guy. He is very good as the well-read, smart, artistic and charismatic outlaw. His men follow him or pay dearly for it. Oh! And, don’t say a cross word about his mother either.
Christian Bale is also very good as the former military man now rancher who volunteers to escort Wade to Contention and get him on the 3:10 train to Yuma. He is a man just trying to do right by his family.
Ben Foster (Alpha Dog, X-Men 3: The Last Stand) is good as Wade’s number two, Charlie Prince. He leads the hunt to track down and free Wade before he is sent off to stand trial. He is fast with a gun and quick to kill, but almost seems to be doing his best impression of Val Kilmer’s Doc Holliday in Tombstone
3:10 to Yuma starts off slow, which is good. It gives you a chance to get acquainted with the various characters. Unfortunately, it never picks up the pace. It just plods along for the most part until the final scene, which I won’t give away, but didn’t really care for. Those two aspects took away from what could have been a really great western. It does have plenty of gunfights throughout its almost two hours, but takes its time getting to them.
The New Mexico landscape stands in for Arizona, but each location and the scenery it provides is all beautifully shot. The wide-open spaces, dusty creek beds, canyons and mountains all give you the perfect backdrop for the classic western.
If you are a fan of the western film genre or just like good movies, you probably won’t be disappointed with a matinee showing of 3:10 to Yuma.
What did you think of 3:10 to Yuma?
What New Movies Start on Friday, September 7th?
This week, at a theater near you, there are 9 new movies being released. Three open wide and another six are in limited release.
Opening Nationwide on Friday, September 7th:
Movie: 3:10 to Yuma (R) (Read Review)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Peter Fonda, Gretchen Mol & Ben Foster
Genre: Western
Synopsis: An outlaw has been terrorizing Arizona in the 1800s, with a focus on the Southern Railroad, gets captured. He is set to stand trial and has to be taken to Yuma. A down on his luck rancher volunteers to be one of the men to escort him there. Along the way, mind games are played between the two men and the outlaw’s men are out to track him down and rescue him.
First Thoughts: Remake of the 1957 film
Movie: The Brothers Solomon (R)
Starring: Will Arnett, Will Forte, Chi McBride & Kristen Wiig
Genre: Comedy
Synopsis: Two brothers socially inept brothers learn that their father’s dying wish is to be a grandfather. So, the brothers try to make it happen, but look destined to fail miserably.
First Thoughts: Hadn’t heard or seen anything about this film until today when looking up what films are coming out. So, watched the trailer and it looks like a Saturday Night Live sketch that goes on way to long, or that could just be because half of the main cast are SNLers.
Movie: Shoot’em Up (R)
Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti & Monica Bellucci
Genre: Action
Synopsis: Well, the title just about says it all. A mysterious guy takes it upon himself with a little help to protect a baby from a bad guy that is hunting them down.
First Thoughts: This has a really solid cast, but only an 80-minute runtime. It looks like it could be fun, or at least better than War from a couple of weeks ago.
Movies in Limited Release this Friday:
- The Bubble – A romantic drama about an Israeli and a Palestinian meet at a checkpoint and begin a relationship.
- Fierce People – Coming of age drama starring Diane Lane and Donald Sutherland about 16-year-old boy and his junkie mother who move in with her wealthy sugar daddy.
- Hatchet – It is a slasher flick unless the title left you unsure.
- The Hunting Party – Richard Gere and Terrence Howard play reporters on the hunt for a Bosnian criminal and the scoop of a lifetime.
- I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With – Romantic comedy with Sarah Silverman, Bonnie Hunt and Jeff Garlin.
- In the Shadow of the Moon – Biographical documentary about the nine men that have set foot on the moon that includes interviews with surviving astronauts and never before seen archival footage.
For New Movie Friday there are three new movies at a theater near me this week. They are 3:10 to Yuma, The Brothers Solomon and Shoot’em Up. What new movie will you be heading out to see this week?
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