The Brave One (2007 film)
The Brave One is a 2007 vigilante action-thriller helmed by director Neil Jordan, with a screenplay by Roderick Taylor, Bruce A. Taylor, and Cynthia Mort. The film features Jodie Foster portraying Erica Bain, a New York City radio personality who turns to vigilantism following the murder of her fiancé. Detective Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard) leads the investigation into the vigilante-related shootings, gradually becoming entwined with Bain. The supporting ensemble includes Naveen Andrews, Nicky Katt, Zoë Kravitz, and Mary Steenburgen.
Serving as a loose adaptation of the Death Wish franchise, the movie premiered in the United States on September 14, 2007. Although Foster’s acting received commendations, critical reception was mixed overall. Financially, the film did not meet expectations, grossing $69 million globally against a production budget of $70 million. Foster earned a Golden Globe nod for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.
Plot
Erica Bain, a radio host, and her fiancé Dr. David Kirmani suffer a brutal assault in Central Park; David succumbs to his injuries, profoundly altering Erica’s life trajectory.
Unable to legally purchase a firearm due to licensing restrictions, Erica resorts to acquiring a handgun through illegal means for self-defense. She subsequently kills an armed assailant during a convenience store robbery and later fends off attackers on a subway train. Her vigilante activities intensify as she intervenes to protect a prostitute from danger, injuring the pimp involved.
Erica methodically pursues the trio responsible for her fiancé’s death while simultaneously forming a complicated connection with Detective Sean Mercer, who is investigating the vigilante shootings and harbors suspicions about Erica’s role. When police discover Erica’s engagement ring at a pawnshop, she utilizes it to locate one of the perpetrators and passes this information to Mercer.
In confrontations with her attackers, Erica eliminates two and rescues her dog. During the final showdown with the third assailant, Mercer arrives and convinces Erica to lower her weapon but then hands over his gun; she uses it to kill the attacker. Mercer assists in fabricating evidence to implicate the assailants for the vigilante crimes, enabling Erica to walk free through Central Park alongside her dog.
Music
The film’s score was composed by Dario Marianelli, complemented by tracks performed by Sarah McLachlan.
Box office
Upon release, the film debuted at number one in both the US and Canada, earning $13.47 million from 2,755 theaters. By December 29, 2007, its total worldwide gross reached $69.79 million—$36.79 million domestically and $32.99 million internationally.
Critical reception
The Brave One garnered mixed reviews, holding a 43% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 183 critiques, with commendations directed at performances but reservations about its ethical implications. On Metacritic, it achieved an average score of 56% from 33 reviews.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded three and a half stars, praising Foster and Howard for their layered portrayals in emotionally intricate scenes.
Awards and nominations
At the 65th Golden Globe Awards, Foster received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.