I have been a Neil Jordan fan since "the Crying Game" -- in spite of the issues I have with that film. Said issues are largely due to seeing it when I was a young, critical bastard as opposed to my current state of older bastard. My favorite Jordan film remains "Mona Lisa"...made years ago.
"The Brave One" is something of a departure from both of those films, there are no gender politics, just the politics of fear. You know, the fear that has our country paralyzed, bleeding money and young men in Iraq and making the fat cats fatter in the name of homeland security.
Jordan suggests, with the help of a great performance by Jodie Foster, that fear is ultimately personal, and shows it to us. There is terrific music, terrific camera here in a story that we have seen before -- just not after 9/11.
Cause, effect and resolution are preordained going in to the film, even without seeing the trailer. Apparently there are no new stories, just new ways to tell 'em. Mr Jordan does a great job here, as does Terrance Howard and the aforementioned Jodie Foster.
Make no mistake, this is about us, not her.
Recommended.
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