Just checked out Neil Jordan’s THE BRAVE ONE in a nearly empty theatre. Wow. Why was this flick shit on by the majority of mainstream critics. It’s sort of a bench mark for mainstream cinema to be so cynical, watchable, loathsome and empathic all at once.
It’s gorgeous to look at and fascinating to see the plethora of angles things can be viewed from. Survivor. Vigilante. Political. Emotional. Fantasy. Practical.
Yea, it’s not a gritty or knock down as Eastern Promises, or as over-the-top-looney violent as The Departed. But I’m really surprised that there isn’t more folks out there trumpeting for this picture, particularly the cynical, cynical, cynical ending.
Anyhow, just adding my two cents. I liked the flick a lot. It’s a paradoxical collection of so many contradictions that everything makes sense.
I’m not going to be the fool that calls this TAXI DRIVER for 2007, but there was more than one scene where Mrs. Foster started to feel like Mr. Bickle...which gave the same weird slick vibe of John Hurt playing the fascist in V For Vendetta after making such an impression as Winston Smith in NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR.
Anyway there is much to chew on in THE BRAVE ONE, it’s a slicker-than-slick package that just has some truly knock-out (yet not overly showy) cinematography. If you are into that sort of thing, this film feels like a satisfying blend of Dionne Beebe, Robert Richardson and Christopher Doyle - And that ain’t shabby.
