The Next Three Days (2010) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

USA, France 2010
Director: Paul Haggis
Cast: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Ty Simpkins, Lennie James, Olivia Wilde, Aisha Hinds
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: 19 November 2010 (USA); 8 December 2010 (France); 10 December 2010 (Indonesia)
Running Time: 2 hours 13 minutes

The Movie Review

The Next Three Days film still 1


The NEXT THREE DAYS
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

It was 16 December 2010, Thursday, and quite possibly The Three Next Days was the most highlighted film to be screened that month if we were to judge by the advertising. So I went to Kelapa Gading Mall situated in North Jakarta and booked for 20:45 show, and I was pleased. Expecting this movie to be a brainless action, turned out The Next Three Days is a very engaging thriller, not bad for a movie before you sleep.

The premise is not that too intricate actually but the execution is darn fine mate! Basically it revolves around a regular family man who works as school teacher and is forced to pull off something so incredibly difficult that definitely can not be done without extreme determination. John Brennan (Russel Crowe) is having a wonderful dinner with his brother although rather ruined by her emotional wife, Lara Brennan (Elizabeth Banks of Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)). Nevertheless, they are pretty much enjoying their night and their time with their son, Luke (Ty Simpkins of Insidious (2011)) until that moment comes when Lara is suddenly dragged from her home and accused of having commited a murder. Both Lara and John are tyring to stay in contact and to keep each other strong even though she's having no chance to be released anymore. The storming problems filling up John's mind forcing him to do something seemingly impossible... To break her out of the prison in Allegheny County Jail! After consulting to Damon Pennington (Liam Neeson) a former convict who managed to escape from prison several times, John Brennan prepares everything to set her wife free. Can he pull it off? Is Lara really guilty?

You know how some people say "fear moves you forward in such mind-blowing speed"? That's exactly the beauty of this movie which is to see how a normal guy does something so remarkably diligent to save his wife. I said diligent, because it's interesting to see how John plans everything up and what makes it doubly interesting is the way the story goes. Nothing goes too smoothly for John, for example when he has his heart-pounding moments when he fails to "do illegal stuff" in front of police officers, it just adds to the sense of realism, or simply known as Verisimilitude, but of course if you are super nitpicky, flaws are present for you to see, but most moviegoers can simply enjoy the story I guess. I really like how Paul Haggis (of Crash (2004)) direct the movie, realistic action sequences are something that add elevation to the intensity level of an action or thriller, and The Next Three Days will give you just that.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth Banks can not portray a woman in trouble and her character is not a very sympathetic one. All I see is an emotional woman, selfish and annoying, of course her behavior is somehow acceptable to the script, but Banks' portrayal of Lara is not harmonious to Russel Crowe's splendid performance. It's fun to see how Crowe acts as if he's never in an action movie before and then transform into this daredevil, especially if you remember her performance in Proof of Life (2000). So, if you like the exciting feeling of seeing a regular man trying to do something so daring and so illegal as opposed to his daily life, The Next Three Days is for you. FYI, at the time of uploading the movie, you can still see a movie from France in Cinemas/Bioskop similar to The Next Three Days titled, Point Blank (2010). Interestingly, apparently The Next Three Days is a remake of a French film, Pour Elle AKA Anything for Her (2008). You might want to check that out too.