The Brave One Review
by [email protected] (dnb AT dca DOT net)September 20th, 2007
THE BRAVE ONE (2007)
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 2007 David N. Butterworth
** (out of ****)
Perhaps the title's supposed to be ironic or something but there's nobody the slightest bit brave in "The Brave One."
Ironic or not, bravery is a strange quality with which to label what is, after all, a fairly standard--and not so subtle--exploitation picture cut from much the same cloth as those Chuck Bronson vigilante thrillers of the late seventies. "The Brave One" also owes much to "Taxi Driver." Thirty odd years ago Jodie Foster played an underage prostitute in that film; in Neil ("The Crying Game") Jordan's latest Foster's character is herself the real rain that comes and washes all the scum off the streets. Erica Bain, at least, has a pretty good reason for going nuts; Travis Bickle was way wacko well before Scorsese's camera started rolling.
In her new film Foster plays a New York radio personality who's about to marry the love of her life, David Kirmani (Bollywood heartthrob Naveen Andrews), when the two are robbed, beaten, and left for dead during a moonlit stroll at the hands of some Central Park punks. When Erica emerges from a coma some three weeks later her fiancĂ(c)e has already been interred (Foster's reading of Erica's reaction to the devastating news is both remarkable and self-assured).
In order to protect herself (since she can no longer sleep nights and now walks the New York streets after dark) a scared Erica buys a handgun off a street dealer and gets to use it shortly thereafter, dispatching a disgruntled liquor store patron in self-defense. But now she's developed a taste for killing: next to feel Erica's desirous wrath are a couple of touchy toughs on the subway, then a revolting john who keeps a Las Vegas hooker doped up in the backseat of his Caddy and a crooked businessman (as, believe it or not, a favor for a friend!).
By the time she tracks down those actually responsible for David's senseless murder Erica's semi-automatic has more than its fair share of notches on the butt.
To say it's troubling identifying with Foster's character is an understatement. The film walks a fine line between condoning her actions (since surely good, thinking, moral people don't believe in taking the law into their own hands?) and being repulsed by them. Are we supposed to feel sorry for Erica? Do we believe her actions to be justified? After every confrontation all I could think was "Well, she's not herself, is she?" Matters become less conflicted whenever "Hustle & Flow"'s Terrence Howard is on hand. He plays the detective who listens to Erica's talk show and slowly comes to realize that he's never seen her and this nameless, faceless vigilante in the same room together. Flanking Howard's Detective Mercer at nearly every turn is his partner, Detective Vitale (Nicky Katt). Vitale never once fails to deliver a droll aside or two and Katt's fun to have around, especially with all the gratuitous gunplay on display.
The performances are top notch--as hinted at earlier Foster is a typical standout--but what are these fine actors doing in a film with such flagrantly mixed morals? "The Brave One" purports to be deeper than most revenge thrillers but somehow that depth got blown away along with every other poor sap who comes into contact with Foster's seriously unhinged "heroine."
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David N. Butterworth
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Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
