Movie Review: The Next Three Days (2010)
A lot of it works, but it's just too inconsistent
Photo: Lionsgate
Paul Haggis may have been bitten by the action bug when he was hired to polish up the scripts for both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. With his latest film, The Next Three Days, he moves from his more melodramatic work on films such as the Best Picture-winning Crash and In the Valley of Elah to a so-so prison break thriller that suffers from too many highs and lows as Haggis was never able to get a handle on the tension of the film. This film stutters in 5-10 minute bursts, each coming to a close only to ask the audience to start over again with the very next scene. These jagged ups and downs never allow it to find a balance.
The cast includes Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, RZA, Brian Dennehy, Ty Simpkins, Olivia Wilde, Jonathan Tucker, Liam Neeson, Aisha Hinds, Lennie James, Daniel Stern and James Ransone. For more information on this film including pictures, trailers and a detailed synopsis choose from the following menu.
Review
"The Next Three Days" is a Lionsgate release, directed by Paul Haggis and is rated PG-13 for violence, drug material, language, some sexuality and thematic elements. The running time is 2 hours 2 minutes.
Crowe is spot on with his performance as a concerned husband and loving father to the couple's young son. Brian Dennehy plays Crowe's father and gives a spectacular understated performance in very limited screen time. However, the fact the trailers are selling Liam Neeson and Olivia Wilde as significant members of the cast is a bit of a lie as Neeson only has one scene in the film and Wilde's character could have been played by anyone it's that insignificant and one note.
Most of the screen time belongs to Crowe whose ability to play an everyman up against the odds is always impressive, even when the film is not.
One big issue this film runs up against is the running time. At just over two hours it is way too long. Scenes setting up future scenes are unnecessarily drawn out and one late instance when Banks' character puts herself at risk just throws things way out of whack. For most of the film Haggis seems content to keep it as something of a character piece with elements of intrigue, but late in the game he seems to feel the need to up the ante in an attempt to get your heart racing. It results in a story that's unsure of what it wants to be causing for several speed bumps throughout.
You could see far worse films in the theaters nowadays, but The Next Three Days may be a little too frustrating for most considering today's ticket prices. With a fast forward button in your hand or perhaps a laptop and your favorite blog nearby this would make for a solid rental, but seeing it in the theater seems unnecessary.
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I don't see how a movie with outstanding actors like Russel Crowe and Liam Neeson gets bad reviews.
I don't see how Oliva Wilde seems to be getting marketed as the 'next big thing' in every film she's in when she's as dull as dishwater.
But, I have a habit of watching just about anything with Elizabeth Banks in it, whether it's good or not, at least once.
YOU should definitely see the french movie this one was adapted from !!!
caught a preview of it yesterday here in UK
above average film which however will have a bigger impact on me for the fact hadnt seen elizabeth banks with anything but blonde hair before