Life is good with husband and wife John and Lara (Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks) until she is convicted of murder and put away for life. Their son is three years old when she goes to prison, and through the next three years, (see a pattern?) life is tough as John tries to scrap by filing appeals and focusing on his son. Things take a turn for the worse when the last appeal is denied and Lara attempts suicide. I think you can guess how it goes from here.
I am a big Russell Crowe fan, but I had a hard time buying him as a school teacher not knowing how to put bullets in a gun. I really didn't feel he was right for this role. He's a great actor and he can play so many characters so well. He was amazing in A Beautiful Mind as well as The Insider. His character didn't developed subtly, he seemed to all of a sudden be a badass. It could be that there were crucial scenes cut from the movie that filled in the gaps, but as the final theatrical cut, I didn't see it. I think he was trying to keep it low-key, but it just didn't work for me. Unfortunately, neither did Elizabeth Banks. I also really like her work, but this felt very cardboard to me. I could tell that I should feel more sadness for her character, but I didn't.
I really did enjoy the last third of the movie and how it played out, but, it was very difficult for me to understand how John set it all up just by having one enlightening conversation with ex-con, Liam Neeson. We see John planning and going to the library, etc, but no other help from there. Nothing on how his emotions are breaking down. Just LOTS of dumb luck in situations.
The saving grace is that it keeps a good pace and has some very tense moments. It's not a waste of time, but I think it's doom is acting as though we don't know how it's going to turn out.
On a side note, can I just say that Kevin Corrigan is in EVERYTHING. He's one of the most entertaining and employable actors in Hollywood. From the first shadow of his hair, I knew it was him and I was happy.
I am a big Russell Crowe fan, but I had a hard time buying him as a school teacher not knowing how to put bullets in a gun. I really didn't feel he was right for this role. He's a great actor and he can play so many characters so well. He was amazing in A Beautiful Mind as well as The Insider. His character didn't developed subtly, he seemed to all of a sudden be a badass. It could be that there were crucial scenes cut from the movie that filled in the gaps, but as the final theatrical cut, I didn't see it. I think he was trying to keep it low-key, but it just didn't work for me. Unfortunately, neither did Elizabeth Banks. I also really like her work, but this felt very cardboard to me. I could tell that I should feel more sadness for her character, but I didn't.
I really did enjoy the last third of the movie and how it played out, but, it was very difficult for me to understand how John set it all up just by having one enlightening conversation with ex-con, Liam Neeson. We see John planning and going to the library, etc, but no other help from there. Nothing on how his emotions are breaking down. Just LOTS of dumb luck in situations.
The saving grace is that it keeps a good pace and has some very tense moments. It's not a waste of time, but I think it's doom is acting as though we don't know how it's going to turn out.
On a side note, can I just say that Kevin Corrigan is in EVERYTHING. He's one of the most entertaining and employable actors in Hollywood. From the first shadow of his hair, I knew it was him and I was happy.
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