Review: The Next Three Days

Grade: B

John and Lara Brennan live a happy and normal life with their son. Then one day, their life is turned upside down when Lara is arrested and convicted of murder. John has spent three years going through the appeals process, trying to prove her innocence. When the courts decide that they will no longer accept new evidence, Lara attempts to kill herself because of the thought of having to spend the rest of her life in jail. This is when John gets desperate and begins to do research and form a plan to break her out of jail.

The Next Three Days is an interesting look at a man desperate to reunite his family by any means necessary. John Brennan is a loving husband and caring father, he doesn’t know anything about breaking someone out of jail, he barely knows how to handle a gun. He’s not some criminal mastermind or a genius of any sort, he teaches English at a community college. So writer/director Paul Haggis did a great job taking this everyman type character and showing how his love for his wife and his desire to make his family whole again can make someone go to desperate measures to get his wife back. The movie does start out a little slow, but the overall experience is really enjoyable and the actual breakout scene is great.

Russell Crowe (Robin Hood, 3:10 to Yuma) plays the role of John Brennan. Crowe did a pretty good job with this role and really portrayed all the different aspects of this character well. Elizabeth Banks (Role Models, Zack and Miri Make a Porno) plays the role of Lara Brennan. I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Banks, I think she is very funny but this was a different role for her. Banks really handled this dramatic role extremely well and helps show just how much potential she has. Liam Neeson (The A-Team, Taken) plays Damon Pennington, a man who has escaped from jail seven times. Neeson was great in this role, but it was such a small role that it is almost unnecessary to cast him.

The Next Three Days is a great dramatic thriller and is a lot of fun to watch. If you are into movies like this, or heist movies, you should definitely check this movie out, it is worth it.