The Next Three Days (2010)

From Paul Haggis, The Academy Award winning director of CRASH, comes the smart, well-crafted crime thriller THE NEXT THREE DAYS. Based on the 2007 French film Pour Elle (Anything for Her) by Fred Cavayé, The film tells the story of John and Lara Brennan (Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks), a happily married couple from Pittsburgh, he’s a college professor and she’s a successful business woman, whose perfect life gets turned upside when Lara is accused of a gruesome murder she did not commit. As it affects their relationship three years later, John, who also believes that Lara is innocent, devises an elaborate escape plot and plunges into a dangerous and unfamiliar world, ultimately risking everything for the woman he loves. The film also stars Olivia Wilde (TRON: Legacy) as single mother Nicole, Brian Dennehy (Tommy Boy) as John’s father George Brennan, Daniel Stern (City Slickers) as John’s lawyer Meyer Fisk, RZA (American Gangster) as Mouss, Lennie James (Snatch) as Pittsburgh Police Lieutenant Nabulsi, Jason Beghe (G.I. Jane) and Aisha Hinds (Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail) as Pittsburgh Police Detectives Quinn and Collero, Kevin Corrigan (The Departed) and Jonathan Tucker (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) as criminals Alex and David, Ty Simpkins (Revolutionary Road) as John and Lara’s son Luke, and a special appearance by Liam Neeson (Schindler’s List) as ex-prison escapee Damon Pennington. When I went to see this movie, I thought it was both entertaining and had some comedic humor to it. I really enjoyed the scenes when Crowe and Banks try to escape from the Pittsburgh authorities. Do they make it? You’ll have to see for yourself. Filmed entirely on location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a budget of $35 million from October to December 2009, the film was originally intended to be released in 2011. Instead it was released on November 19th, 2010, opening at #5 at the box office with $6,542,779. Although the film received mixed reviews by film critics, such as Roger Ebert and Peter Travers, I still think Paul Haggis’ THE NEXT THREE DAYS is a very entertaining thriller and I recommend it for all movie lovers to see.