The Observer, September 14, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 3
The Brave One
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One of the most fascinating films of the fall season, The Brave One is directed by Academy Award-winner Neil Jordan, famous for The Crying Game and Interview with the Vampire. Jordan has proved masterful at rendering stereotypes of all kinds on film, whether through sexuality, gender, or race. The Brave One combines many kinds of these themes, with characters David (Naveen Andrews, most famous for his role as Sayid in the TV show Lost) and Erica Bain (Jodie Foster). David is murdered because of the color of his skin, which prompts Erica to seek out revenge. What emerges in her character is a rather violent method of vigilante justice, leaving a trail of destruction investigated by Detective Mercer (Terrence Howard). Non-traditional actors in non-traditional roles in a classic story of love, revenge, and the blurry line of crime and justice makes The Brave One a great pick for any college student this fall.
