The Brave One
2007 – Neil Jordan
Rated R – 122 minutes
Vault Rating: 7
A Trip Inside the Dark Mind of the Victim
Today’s feature is a decent run at the vengeance film. “The Brave One” is a little more atmospheric than the standard type in which a crime is committed and the victim sets out to even the score.
Director Neil Jordan (“The Crying Game,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “The Butcher Boy,” “Michael Collins”) often looks for humanity in the heart of darkness, or at least at the nature of violence.
By choosing the talented Jodie Foster to portray someone who is forever changed by violence, Jordan fashions a window of vulnerability into the mind of the victim.
Erica Bain (Foster) is a notable NYC radio personality who on an evening stroll through Central Park (What WAS she thinking?) is brutally attacked and left for dead. As a survivor, she is insecure, paranoid and full of rage as she endeavors to resume her life. Thus, it is a plausible plot point when she purchases a handgun.
The viewer begins to feel an air of inevitability as the simple presence of the gun seems to ensure violence to follow. And follow it does as Bain finds herself witness to another crime. What is chilling here, though, is how her refusal to be victimized again is a cathartic, life-changing experience.
The gun, the agent of her strength, becomes akin to an alter-ego and Bain slowly, believably evolves from victim to predator. At first, Foster’s version of Bernard Goetz appears frightened, but the power of a bullet is redeeming and good. Soon, bodies are piling up and Detective Mercer (Terrence Howard) is sifting the clues and developing a trusting relationship with the murderer he pursues.
Mercer is a good cop in a bad world and he is bound by a strict code of ethics. Cross-hatched with his compassion for Bain, one of the primary conflicts is set up and plays out nicely.
Jody Foster lends a little soul to a film that, with a lesser lead, would surely have been less believable. Usually, this character is reserved for Mel Gibson (Mad Max) or Charles Bronson (Death Wish) or some other macho character. Here, the agent of retribution is actually afraid – at least to begin with – which is a good place to start.
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Now that there are only two television networks that actually count or matter for anything, we’ve got to acknowledge some good work in the trenches.
HBO is currently airing a seven-part historical drama, “John Adams,” that is, after the first installments, top notch if not towering. Even if you haven’t got in at the very beginning, all of the episodes are going to be available on HBO on demand. Paul Giamatti stars in the title role at the head of an all-star cast and it is not to be missed.
Meanwhile, by staring at the crap that passes for news in the mainstream one might be convinced that the situation in Iraq has improved drastically. We were disturbed in this corner that literally not one major outlet of any kind, print or electronic media, decided to cover the “Winter Soldier” event in Washington.
“Winter Soldier” refers to the shattering testimony of Vietnam veterans back in the day. The current event was organized by the Iraq Veterans Against the War and again brought our soldiers to the fore to tell it like it is over there. The only coverage we’ve been able to find was on Pacifica’s “Democracy Now!” with Amy Goodman, who has decided to air these important testimonials over a week of her broadcasts.
Some PBS stations, including our local affiliate, WPSU, carry the program and that’s good on them. Still WPSU only airs “Democracy Now!” once a week and at a time slot when few are likely to be tuned in. God bless the TiVo.
Video Vault strongly recommends our local affiliate air Goodman’s show between “News Hour with Jim Lehrer” and “The Nightly Business Report,” both of which are decent programs. We think that would really turn some heads. There is more real reporting on “Democracy Now!” in one hour than there is in a week of cable and network mainstream combined.
Perhaps Comcast could provide an ultimate sub-basic sub scri ption consisting solely of HBO and PBS. Now wouldn’t that be comcastic!
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Fab Features: We’ve seen so much recently that we’ve just got to run off a list of goodies you should pick up as soon as you possibly can. We were stunned by Oscar’s recent best picture, “No Country For Old Men.” Other films well worth while include George Clooney’s “Michael Clayton;” Sean Penn’s biopic – “Into the Wild” – about a young man who chooses the life of a vagabond; and a glacially cold take on the vampire genre, “30 Days of Night,” in which a an un-dead convention descends on a remote Alaskan town to party like there’s no tomorrow. Gives a new meaning to all-you-can-eat buffet.
Until the sun rises again… Enjoy!
