It is a rare thing in Hollywood to see one of today’s biggest stars playing the lead role in a smaller, more budget constricted action movie.
However, when done correctly, this type of film yields not only an amazing performance, but an exciting movie to watch as well.
This classic formula for cinematic success is put to good use in Russell Crowe’s new film, “The Next Three Days.”
The film centers on a man and his fight to free his wife from jail. The movie, which stars Crowe’s counterpart, the lovely Elizabeth Banks, is much more than a typical “jail-escape” movie, revealing the lengths that one will go to rescue their loved ones.
In the film, Crowe plays John Brennan, a college professor who, after learning of his wife’s possible life sentence, becomes obsessed with her escape.
Obsessed may be an understatement.
The director, Paul Haggis (“Crash,” “Million Dollar Baby”) utilizes flashbacks to tell the story that led to Banks’ (Lara Brennan) incarceration.
This filmmaking technique keeps you guessing the entire time throughout “The Next Three Days,” and also gives a sometimes needed break to the heavy score and high intensity defining the film’s complementing scenes.
Haggis also uses this technique to exhibit the life Brennan had prior to the arrest, a life that seemed perfect. The flashbacks seem to tease Brennan, serving as a reminder of what his life was like before Lara’s imprisonment.
As the movie progresses, Crowe becomes immensely more interesting to watch. The audience witnesses not only the development of a genius plan, but also the internal spirit of a genius dying. As the day for Brennan’s plan to take place draws nearer, the character he plays becomes more disturbed due to his wife’s prolonged absence.
The acting on all perimeters is above par. Both Crowe and Banks provide just the right amount of emotion when appropriate, as well as just the right amount of intensity.
With a holiday box office full of family-oriented and cheeky films, “The Next Three Days” is the perfect movie for those looking for something more. The film opens nationwide Friday.
