The Brave One (2007)

Struggling to recover emotionally from a brutal assault that killed her fiancé and left her in a coma, a radio personality begins a quest for vengeance against the perpetrators that leaves a bloody trail across New York City.

Director:

Neil Jordan

Writers:

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

Stars:

Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 6 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 | park | gun | detective | death | 

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Taglines:

How many wrongs to make it right?

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Genres:

Action | 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. Pictures [Japan] Warner Bros. Pictures [UK]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Valiente

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,471,488, 16 September 2007, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$36,793,804, 29 November 2007

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$32,972,815

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

Jodie Foster improvised the "looking for a show" line. The sensual nature of this scene evolved while shooting.

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Goofs

When Erica goes into the bathroom of the bar to refresh herself, she wets her hair and head, leaving her hair dripping wet. When they cut to the next part of the scene, where she applies her lipstick, her hair is perfectly dry - no shine, no evidence of wetness - one could argue it is even styled.

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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

Referenced in American Dad!: The Unbrave One (2012)

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Soundtracks

The Illest
Written by Immortal Technique, Jean Grae and Pumpkinhead
Performed by Immortal Technique featuring Jean Grae and Pumpkinhead
Courtesy of 44 Caliber Productions
Under license from Viper Records Ltd.

User Reviews

Death Wish For The Thinking Woman

Jodie Foster is a bit like the modern version of Barbara Stanwyck or one of those other powerful female stars that took the role of the woman in society into actions and attitudes that had been the male prerogative since time immemorial. Jodie's Erica carries the movie and a gun in a succession of common places that become never seen before thanks to the commitment of the star. She is fantastic and I suspect Jodie Foster will use her age as an allied so there is a lot to be looking forward to. If I had a wish, for me as an spectator and huge fan of Jodie Foster, will be for her to continue working with directors that allow her many different faces to come out fully formed because that's a guarantee that it will startle us. Neil Jordan was a great idea and the results are there on the screen for everyone to see. A vigilante yes, but Jodie Foster style which means, like no other. I would like to see her do a movie with Fred Schepsi ("Plenty" "A Cry In The Dark") because the characters in Schepsi movies are memorable, all of them, always) With Martin Donovan ("Apartment Zero" and his new stunning "K.Il Bandito") because I know the man and I've witnessed the magic communion he establishes with his actors and Donovan loves to move into the faces of his actors/characters in the most powerful and loving way. With François Ozon (Swiming Pool, 8 Women) because of his understanding and commitment to the female character, never superficial. I can name others of course but I think I already made my point. I love Jodie Foster and I hope to be around when she's 70 because I have the feeling we ain't seen nothing yet.