Review of The Next Three Days (2010) by Jonathan B — 22 Jun 2011

A remake of a comparatively recent French film Pour elle (2008), stars Vincent Lindon and Diane Kruger, Hollywood acutely smelled the commercial potential of the original piece, under the wielder Oscar-winning director and writer Paul Haggins (noted for the notorious winning of CRASH over BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN in 2006), teamed up with a Hollywood A-list star Russell Crowe (who is arguably deserving the title now though), in a well-qualified role as a reckless husband conspires a flawless getaway to rescue his innocent murderer-accused wife from jail and with their young son altogether, then escape to another country. Sounds a tad far-fetched, but this time Crowe is more closer to an ordinary human being than the stereotyped hero image in which he is seamlessly adept. This more closer-to-life penchant cleverly intrigues a high-profile bulk of curiosity than the corny one-man-save-the-world cliche cause we might harbor an illusion that this super-unattainable adventure could occur to the average Joe.

A smart premise, but the film itself founders eventually as this so-called intricately designed plan actually can not offer plausible expositions other than conspicuous coincidences (for instance, the last moment permission to pass the airport visa checking; a fake health report just one day before the prisoner being transferred to another prison. I'm not saying coincidences are forbidden, just if there are too many, explicitly they are changing into a metaphorical insult to the audience's IQ), which all cause the spider-web of the rescue naively under-developed.

The Detroit setting is enveloping in a depressive dark hue, establishes the film to a more disturbing empathy to allure audience to eureka when the ultimate catharsis comes, we could hail the repressing halo away, regrettably judging by which, the outcome is only half-exerted.

The cast is just above average, no big surprises other than that Elizabeth Banks surely looks fabulous as a female prisoner in confinement for almost three years, good work, Paul!