The Brave One (2007)

A woman struggles to recover from a brutal attack by setting out on a mission for revenge.

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers:

Roderick Taylor (screenplay), Bruce A. Taylor (screenplay),

Stars:

Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Nicky Katt

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jodie Foster	...	Erica Bain
Terrence Howard	...	Detective Mercer
Nicky Katt	...	Detective Vitale
Naveen Andrews	...	David Kirmani
Mary Steenburgen	...	Carol
Ene Oloja	...	Josai
Luis Da Silva Jr.	...	Lee
Blaze Foster	...	Cash
Rafael Sardina	...	Reed
Jane Adams	...	Nicole
Gordon MacDonald	...	Murrow
Zoë Kravitz	...	Chloe
John Magaro	...	Ethan
Victor Colicchio	...	Cutler
Jermel Howard	...	Thug on Subway

Storyline

David Kirmani,a medical professional, lives in an apartment with his sweetheart, Erica Bain, a radio host, and his dog. They usually take the dog out for a stroll in nearby Central Park and let him run and fetch. One day while at the park they let the dog run without a leash, and when he does not return or respond to their calls, they frantically search for him. They eventually find him being held by three men who want a reward. When David refuses, they start to molest Erica and David intervenes. Two of the men assault the couple, while the third uses a camcorder to film this incident. Erica is knocked unconscious, and regains her senses several days later in a hospital. She is told the shocking news that David was killed and the dog is missing. A traumatized Erica returns home to try and regain her life. She also visits the police station but does not get much help. Fearful of a repeat of this type of incident, she gets an unlicensed gun and carries it with her all the time. One day ...

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Plot Keywords:

dog | gun | park | death | police | 

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Taglines:

How many wrongs to make it right?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros [France] Warner Bros. Pictures [Germany]

Country:

USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Neustrašiva

Filming Locations:

183 Grand Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£497,838 (UK) (28 September 2007)

Gross:

$36,789,772 (USA) (22 November 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min 119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Portia de Rossi and Kate Beckinsale were offered the role of Erica; both turned it down. Neve Campbell and Josie Davis auditioned for the role.

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Goofs

In the scene where Detective Mercer is the bar room with his ex-wife, the amount of liquid in the detective's glass goes from full to nearly empty back to half-full multiple times throughout the sequence.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Erica: [voiceover, doing her radio show] I'm Erica Bain. And as *you* know, I walk the city. I bitch and moan about it. I walk and watch and listen, a witness to all the beauty and ugliness that is disappearing from our beloved city. Last week took me to the gray depths of the East River where Dmitri Panchenko swims his morning laps, like he has every morning since the 1960s. And today I walked by the acres of scaffolding outside what used to be the Plaza Hotel. And I thought about Eloise....
[...]

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Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.12 (2010)

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Soundtracks

"Burning On Both Ends"
Written by Darryl Carter and Mack Rice
Performed by Willie Singleton
Courtesy of Stax Records
By Arrangement with Concord Music Group, Inc.

User Reviews

A New Neo-Noir To Satisfy Our Thirsts

This was entertaining. Sure, one can't help but draw comparisons and think back to the most famous vigilante film of all time: "Death Wish," but this film stands on its own story. No, it's not "Death Wish," but it ain't far from it, storywise. It's different enough to keep us guessing what "Erica" will do next so, in that regard, it's good value for your entertainment dollar, particularly if you enjoy film noirs. This would be labeled a "neo noir" today.

I was a little skeptical about Jodie Foster playing a Charles Bronson-type shooter, but she pulled it off convincingly. The difference in "Erica Bain" and Bronson's "Paul Kersey" was minimal except she seemed to be more depressed over who she had become, once she started killing.

Foster, by the way, shows no signs of slowing down as an actress and this was a juicy role for her.

But don't be misled by this film's screenplay or by Hollywood standards of morality, as they have very little. The fact is, as shown in this film, this woman quickly turns into a killer, a murderer, if even if it was scumbags she was killing, it doesn't justify her actions and, deep inside, she knew it. (It sure is satisfying, though, in a real base sense!)

The ending a little UNsatisfying to a number of reviewers, both here and in national publications. That's all I will say on that, as I don't want to spoil anything for readers who haven't seen the movie. You make up your own mind what you think of it, and the message it conveys.

Suffice to say, if you're looking for an entertaining neo noir, one that serves up your thirst for vengeance a la "Death Wish," this is one to check out at your local rental store.