The Brave One (2007)

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

14 September 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

How many wrongs to make it right?

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Police | Gun | Assault | Hospital

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

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

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

122 min | Canada:119 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

UK:18 | Finland:K-15 | South Korea:15 | Ireland:16 | Norway:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA | South Africa:16LV | Hong Kong:IIB | USA:R (certificate #43480) | Germany:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Malaysia:18PL | France:-12 | Spain:18 | Philippines:R-13 | Taiwan:R-18 | Japan:R-15 | Brazil:16 | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Broadway Stages, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Redemption Pictures

Trivia:

Not your typical product placement: In the scene where Mercer visits Erica's apartment, a container of Israeli-produced sea salt is visible showing the Hebrew-language side to the camera. The Hebrew words melekh-yam (sea salt) can be seen. This is a product not widely available in the US, only through speciality and kosher stores, so perhaps it was purchased by a set dresser near the Brooklyn studios.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

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...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: The Brave One (#14.22)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Hits From The Bong

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.