I first reviewed “The Next Three Days” — Paul Haggis’ prison break thriller — in 2011. At that time, I was intrigued. I thought it was an above-average action thriller, hinged on Russell Crowe’s likability as an everyman and its attempt to be somewhat “realistic.” Of course the film is about Crowe’s character, John Brennan (a mild-mannered and naive college professor) attempting to break his wife (Elizabeth Banks) out of prison for a crime he’s convinced she didn’t commit. However, on re-watch, Haggis’ film has quickly become a favorite of mine, even if it is a guilty pleasure. It grounds its proceedings in family drama and the humdrum of planning for most of its run; and its finale, complete with car, train, and foot chases, is forgivable even when it leaves believability behind for its needed action.
What’s interesting about “The Next Three Days” is it starts not with family togetherness, but an evening out with Brennan and his wife with another couple that ends in a fight. Lara Brennan (Banks) has that day already had a heated fight with her boss (seen only in a flashback). The scene is clearly set to show us that her boss’ murder is about to upend her life, but it does more. It does well to show John’s naïveté (Lara points out how he mistakenly thought her colleague was hitting on him), as well as the couple’s dynamic. But it’s clear they love each other; and when the next day cops force their way into the couple’s home to arrest Lara for murder, it hits as an earth-shattering event, and not just another plot point to hurry through.
Banks and Crowe in Likable Roles
I realized, watching the film for the 3rd time recently, that I really liked Banks and Crowe in these roles. 10 years off of his Oscar for “Gladiator,” Crowe here is more timid, emotional, and vulnerable. He’s an English professor lecturing on “Don Quixote’s” irrationality, who will soon become the embodiment of irrationality himself. You get the impression that Lara takes care of the family details and planning, while John busies himself with his lectures and living in his own little world. He sports jeans and a blazer; he wears a vintage watch* and v-neck sweaters. But he has a close bond with his young son (Ty Simpkins), which shows his clear, loving nature.
Banks is equally compelling, and plays the part of an unwitting prisoner well. She loses things — her freedom, her family, and her son (he won’t talk to her following her arrest). Banks — via Haggis — looks the part of a prisoner. This isn’t one of those movies where people look better and get tougher in prison than in real life. There are no prisoner squabble scenes; the film, when it shows Lara, shows her pain. When I watched this film in 2011, one scene where Lara belittles John for being naive felt harsh to me. Watching it again, it’s very clear she’s trying to push John away. She’s about to be transferred to a penitentiary in a distant city (they live in Pittsburgh) and she’s saying goodbye. Banks is great in her slim screen-time. It alludes to her well-roundedness that would lead her to direct 2023’s “Cocaine Bear” amongst six others.
Implausible Film, but Plausible Fun
Liam Neeson and Russell Crowe meet in a shady bar in Brooklyn. (Photo: Lionsgate).
But what I cherish about “The Next Three Days” are its quieter parts, the parts where Crowe decides, after the final in a series of failed appeals, to break his wife out of jail. The scene where he shows how serious he is, speaking with Damon Pennington (Liam Neeson) is perfect. Neeson is great here, clearly playing off his role in “Taken,” only two years prior. Pennington muses about the importance of where the prison is located if one wants to break out (he’s broken out of jail seven times), and up until this point their discussion has all been theory and research. But when Crowe mutters, “city,” the conversation takes a dark turn, and Neeson owns the scene. Keep giving the guy movies; he’s very fun to watch as a miscreant thug.
What’s best about the film at this point, though, is the planning stages and all the humdrum that entails. There’s no “Ocean’s 11” type feel to this film. There’s nothing ‘exciting’ about Brennan as he embarks on surveillance and information gathering. In fact, most times we don’t really know what his plan entails. Haggis and Crowe wisely keep this from us, even as the film ups in intensity. Whether or not Brennan can succeed is not something he entertains. That he will attempt is the only glimpse we get into his mind. We side with him because a) we like him — we see how good he is with their son, and how he keeps his love for Lara guarded and b) we’ve see how devastating prison is on Lara. She’s lost all hope, in one scene attempting suicide after the failed appeal.
Crowe’s ‘Everyman’ Makes the Film Stick
The film is also shot in this slow, perpetual autumn-like atmosphere that blankets Pittsburgh in a comforting pallor. It’s notably to show how peaceful and comforting Brennan’s life is — to show us what he’s about to give up — but it’s always clear that his life is not complete without his wife. In a lazier film, a single mom he meets, Nicole, (Olivia Wilde, who recently directed “Don’t Worry Darling,” which I enjoyed) would be a plot point for drama and romance. But here it’s necessary and reluctant friendship. In a way it’s kind of sad. You can tell Nicole’s life is little more than routine and she’s clearly interested in getting to know Brennan, which is why she aids him later in the film, even though she shouldn’t.
John Brennan is in over his head in Pittsburgh’s underbelly. (Photo: Lionsgate).
However, when the film’s slow style gives way to its break-neck ending, “The Next Three Days” does jump into unbelievable land. Could a college professor who doesn’t even know where to put the bullets in a gun he’s purchased pull off a late-night drug robbery and a daring prison bust? Doubtful. But Haggis wants us to believe, and somehow, with Crowe doffing his bravado and adrenaline from “Gladiator” here becomes someone we want to succeed. We’ve already seen what he has to lose (several of his failures, including trying to use a ‘bump key’ on a prison elevator) show the seriousness of what he’s up against. The film’s winning argument is that despite Crowe’s star status, the justice system and its purveyors make this film feel real. The no-nonsense guards, wardens, and detectives make Allegheny County Jail feel authentic rather than forced.
Staying Power as a Guilty Pleasure
At the end of the day, “The Next Three Days” could just be another in a line of thrillers that came out in the early 2000’s. There’s nothing exceedingly deep or thematic about it, but yet it reminds of a simpler time. Maybe I enjoy it for its atmosphere, its stage-setting, and its realistic humdrum that I find relatable. Or maybe I just enjoy Crowe in this role. However, when I watch it I feel Brennan’s need to succeed, the thrill of the attempt, and the relationship dynamics between he and Lara which make the end scenes clumsy and real instead of laden with Hollywood heroics. Maybe I’m alone. But the film’s 7.3 rating on IMDb makes me feel other people appreciate this film too, and maybe that’s enough.
“The Next Three Days” is currently available on streaming services.
*Crowe’s watch is a 1961 Hamilton Boatswain 2 for those fellow watch geeks.
