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The Brave One

Written by Nobuhiro Hosoki

 

Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster tackles  another thought- provoking situations by becoming a vigilante after a tremendous disaster hits her life. As Erica Bain, she plays a career woman who hosts a radio show on which she speaks lyrically of the city by recording the sounds of the streets. Her life filled with merriment and snuggling up with her fiance, David Kirmani (Naveen Andrews).

One fateful night, tragedy intervenes during a romantic dog walk through Central Park, when they are ambushed in a random vicious attack by three gang members who mercilessly leave David dead and Erica deeply injured, narrowly surviving a senseless beating.  Now feeling the entire city threatening, Erica finds her inconsolable grief becoming too much to bear.  Showing the struggle of a shattered victim, she makes a fateful decision to arm herself with a gun as a way to protect herself from thugs.

The first time Erica shoots someone in self-defense is at a convenience store, in a kill-or-be-killed situation. She enters that gray line between cold-blooded murder or killing with intention. She is even amazed at how easily she gets away with the act. This incident sets off a chain reaction of vigilante-style executions. An anonymous-vigilante mood grips the city, as the public thoroughly approves her deeds.

Enter NYPD detective Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard), determined to track down the killer. Just before he puts the pieces together, he encounters Erica, expressing his feeling for her show and showing an interest beyond it by entering into a platonic relationship with her. 

The film seeks out more moral questions to tackle. Jodie Foster engages us with a thrilling and chilling performance that ranges from a woman lingering in trauma to that of a a full-throttle vigilante whose animal instincts are overpowering. Here, director Neil Jordan shocks the audience, testing our decision about what we would you do when you lose somebody that you really love. He leaves the answer thoroughly to  a viewer's individual value of his or her life.

Directed by Neil Jordan
written by Roderick Taylor, Bruce A. Taylor and Cynthia Mort
Based on a story by the Taylors
Director of photography: Philippe Rousselot
Edited by Tony Lawson
Music by Dario Marianelli
Production designer: Kristi Zea
Produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey
Released by Warner Brothers Pictures.
Running time: 122 minutes.

Cast: Jodie Foster (Erica Bain)
Terrence Howard (Detective Sean Mercer)
Naveen Andrews (David Kirmani)
Nicky Katt (Detective Vitale),
and Mary Steenburgen (Carol).