The Next Three Days

Movie name: The Next Three Days
Year of release: 2010
Director: Paul Haggis
Stars: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Brian Dennehy, Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Helen Carey, Jason Beghe, Daniel Stern, Aisha Hinds, Jonathan Tucker, Lennie James, Kevin Corrigan, Allan Steele, Trudie Styler, Ty Simpkins
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:"The Next Three Days" is a remake of the french film "Pour Elle". Paul Haggis, known for directing the award winning "Crash" (and writing "Million Dollar Baby" and "Casino Royale" to name but a few), tackles the remake with an aura of suspense and drama, which comes in the tradition of his best work, specifically the wonderful and underrated "In the Valley of Elah".
"The Next Three Days" follows the lives of John, Lara, and their son Luke Brenan, whose every day existence is turned upside down when Lara is wrongly imprisoned for the murder of her boss/superior. John, a professor at a community college, becomes discouraged when he finds out the appeal for Lara's verdict can't be overturned, upon which he starts devising a way to liberate her from prison. Through a carefully devised plan, with lots of trial and error, John finally manages to put in action a way to make Lara's escape occur.
Paul Haggis has made a name for himself as a creator of stories with dramatic depth, where characters actually exist and are more than stereotypes. In "The Next Three Days", we watch the life of a middle class couple unravel, as Lara, an innocent woman, is thrown in a situation that is beyond anything she has ever experienced. That is what really interests Paul Haggis - the delicate balance that is life and how that is turned upside down quite unexpectedly. The film vividly depicts the family life of the Brenan's, but where the film falters is in giving Lara more than just a victim role. It would be interesting to see where Elizabeth Banks could take her character. The film bolsters good performances from Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks and Liam Neeson and a good soundtrack from the wonderful Danny Elfman. A good solid film worth watching.