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“The Brave One” is not a first date movie. Guys could get downright uncomfortable here as they watch a woman cope with an enormous personal situation by getting violent and think twice about dating a woman who carries a large black bag. Jodie Foster stars as Erica Baines (not Erica Kane from “All My Children”) a woman who becomes a vigilante as a way of coping. Not necessarily the best way to handle a problem, but it is the one Erica chooses. Director Neil Jordan presents the film in New York City that is as dark as Batman’s Gotham City. Streets are lonely and be careful where you walk your dog. 

The story starts with Erica and her fiancé, David (Naveen Andrews and this is what he has been doing since “Lost). Erica has a radio show called “Night Walk.” One night, they are walking their dog and accosted by a group of thugs who proceed to kill David and seriously injure Erica. She is traumatized and never seems to recover from it. The emotional scars go so deep they blur her perception of things. Policeman Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard) and his partner Vitale (Nicky Katt) are on the case, but don’t have clues or witnesses. Looks as though it will be tossed into a box.

Not to fear, Erica decides to take care of things herself by getting a gun (illegally) and, since she can’t sleep at night, walking the streets with her black bag. You can figure out the rest. Whoever crosses her path doesn’t do it again. She doesn’t go looking for bad guys; the city is crawling with them. All the while, Sean is starting to put clues together. Erica’s boss at the station (Mary Steenburgen) thinks it is too soon for Erica to be back on the air, but she counters with a new view on things and the audience likes it. Erica is back with a bang.

“The Brave One” shows the transformation of a person from “good” to avenger and you can decide whether this is “good” or evil. Erica’s audience is divided. The bad guys are portrayed as drug dealers, thieves and killers and have already chosen to lay their necks on the chopping block. Erica’s apartment and demeanor show signs of neglect. Her clothes are grunge and apartment, untidy. Erica’s only friend is another woman in her building, Jackie (Carmen Ejogo) who describes what war was like in her country. In one sequence, Erica manages to get a young girl (Zoe Kravitz) away from life as a prostitute. Erica seems to be the disciplinary “mother” hovering over her city at night.

I thought Jodie Foster does a fine job as Erica. With lowered husky voice and a prowling walk, she resembles a cat out for the night. Terrence Howard is the classy detective who is interviewed for Erica’s show, but starts looking at her through new eyes. Vitale is the comic relief and manages to get in a few good lines. However, this is a film that shows two sad people – Erica and Sean – who find something honest in each other, though on opposite sides of the law. I kept thinking of the Charles Bronson revenge films (“Death Wish” series) in which he sort of melted into the background when he went out.  Jodie Foster doesn’t have to do that. She can come out into the spotlight and have Terrence Howard join her.

Copyright 2007 Marie Asner

Submitted 9/16/07