The Plot
College teacher John (Russell Crowe) and his wife Lara (Elizabeth Banks) are happily married with a young son, Luke. But life as they know it is over when Lara gets convicted of murdering her boss. All evidence points towards her, but John doesn’t doubt her innocence for a second.
But despite John’s efforts, he can’t change her 20+ years sentence. Devastated, she attempts suicide.
At that moment John realizes that it’s up to him to save his wife, and it’ll only be possible through a meticulous prison escape plan. With the fundamental tips from the former convict-turned-novelist Damon (Liam Neeson), he starts devising his plan. He has a million obstacles…and not nearly enough resources. But he sets his plan into motion, and no one can change his mind. Including his wife.
*
The Next Three Days: How to Kidnap Someone from Prison 101
And I’m not saying it as a bad thing. It made some great moments to see an ordinary guy trying to come up with the perfect plan. A guy who doesn’t have a criminal gene in his system is ready to deal with shady characters, rob criminals, lie his butt off and muster an enormous amount of guts so that he doesn’t lose his wife.
Most prison escapes in movies are usually conducted by experienced and/or violent criminals, maybe with the help of their criminal buddies. The 2009 movie Public Enemies (starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale) has some great jail break scenes, for instance. But again, the escapes are planned by the mastermind robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp).
And movies featuring prison escape usually focus a lot on the hunt. But the beauty and the fun of The Next Three Days is that it spends sufficient time on how it becomes the last resort, and how the crime is planned by a nice guy. Intelligent and determined, yes. Aggressive, violent, criminally experienced? No.
But with the aid of 21st century resources and his mind, we follow him through his research and action. His failures and his success. As he gets his ass kicked and as he turns badass, all the while trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for his son.
1/3 of Guy fighting the system, 1/3 Guy Hatching a Plan, 1/3 Actual Escape and Action
It’s a drama for the most part, but the depressing parts are balanced by hope and love. It’s also balanced by John’s sense of humor (in the beginning), his self-teaching to be a jail-breaker and the last, very exciting part.
It’s easy for an action movie to become a bit tedious after putting one action scene in front of the other. But here all the drama builds up the suspense so by the time the plan is in motion, you are sitting, fingers crossed, highly anticipating. Sure, it could blow up in his face. But you sincerely hope he doesn’t.
So it is a remake. So what?
If the plot sounded familiar, it is probably because it is a remake of the 2008 French film Pour Elle starring Vincent Lindon and Diane Kruger. I haven’t seen the original so I can’t compare similarities and quality. But will be seeing it soon.
But The Next Three Days holds its own. Russell Crowe is perfect, Elizabeth Banks is good albeit overshadowed. Olivia Wilde is the perfect red herring. I mean why throw a single woman that gorgeous in front of the dad who’s so devoted to his wife? But even with her small screen time, she is crucial to the plot. And while Liam Neeson is practically in one scene, he is one of the most important characters, and he does fit the part perfectly. We buy it when he kicks ass internationally, and we buy it when he is a jail break expert.
Much more drama than action, but worth it.
I really liked it. Currently rated at 7.3 on IMDB. Adapted and directed by Paul Haggis. And don’t roll eyes at the “romance” label on its IMDB page. John has to be one of the most romantic, dedicated and loving husband the screen has ever seen. So yeah, there is a very strong love at the center of the film too.
One of my favorite Crowe movies and performances.
Fun cast note: Olivia Wilde also worked with Elizabeth Banks in the movie People Like Us (2012) , starring Chris Pine.
Also on Russell Crowe:
State of Play starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel Mcadams and Helen Mirren
A Good Year starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard
A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris & Paul Bettany
Also on Elizabeth Banks:
Man on a Ledge with Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Edward Burns & Jamie Bell