The Brave One (2007)

Erica Bane (Jodie Foster) is a radio talk show host in New York City. Safe in her happy life, she's engaged to a handsome doctor (Naveen Andrews) with a rising radio show. The most difficult decision in her world right now-- is orange and cream a good color for wedding invitations? Her world shatters after a run-in with punks in Central Park that leaves Erica battered and bloody and her fiance dead.

Three weeks later, Erica comes out of a coma with emotional scars like no other. Her once bubbling city has now become dark and hostile with danger lurking in every shadow and in every face. Detectives are failing to locate her beloveds killer and Erica is overcome with fear. She decides a gun is in order.

Witnessing a domestic dispute that results in the man gunning down his wife, Erica first recoils from the violence, but the pain from her own experiences muffle any fear and she guns down the man. The experience scares Erica, but leaves her feeling strangely dignified.

Erica's decent into an avenging angel is slow and steady. The emotional road is even more so.

The Brave One is an ineffective, if more psychological drama than vengence-fueled, flick. As Bane, Foster's decent into fear and madness is believable, but along the way she becomes disinterested in the character. Writhing with insincere emotional depth, Foster's attempt is hardly engaging. Even her cigarette smoking is bland and contrived. Terrence Howard is fascinating to watch no matter the role. Despite so little to work with, he does manage to create a character worth exploring. Andrews appears for some 20 minutes, but his contribution is nil.

While I can appreciate director Neil Jordan's take on the 'revenge film' and his attempt to examine the psychology and the consequences of becoming judge, jury and executioner, The Brave One rings hollow. There is no emotional connection with any of the main characters, nor are the plots explored deeply enough to create a solid experience. The poor symbolism found in the dog jumps the shark for me. The Brave One seems to be the victim of poor editing and an even worse script. The film fails to make Erica Bane believable and when by chance, they stumble upon something good, Jordon fails to follow through.

As I see it, The Brave One is an empty victory. It is the result of a poorly communicated good idea. The result? The Brave One is neither god-awful nor inspiring. It seems destined for a network Sunday Cinema feature.