While many films stand the test of time, others fade into obscurity. Whether this happens over a period of years or almost instantly upon a film’s release, one thing is clear: The Next Three Days has slipped through the cracks of our collective memory to join the ranks of the Films That Time Forgot.
What exactly is it that makes time forget a film? It would seem that there’s an element of bad luck involved, as even terrible movies are occasionally well-remembered. In many ways, it appears that mediocrity is one of the few ways to ensure a film will be forgotten, even if it boasts a bafflingly good cast. Such is the case with The Next Three Days.
The film stars Russell Crowe as John Brennan and Elizabeth Banks as his wife, Lara. When Lara is arrested for murder, she protests her innocence, but the evidence suggests her guilt. Left alone with their young son (Ty Simpkins), John formulates a plan to break Lara out of jail. The film also stars Olivia Wilde, Lennie James, Liam Neeson, Daniel Stern, and Brian Dennehy in supporting roles.
In many ways, The Next Three Days is based on a pretty dumb movie premise. The idea that a single father would recklessly risk his own freedom is pretty far-fetched on its own, but the idea that an average man could so meticulously plan and execute such a daring jailbreak stretches its plausibility to breaking point. Still, with a talented cast and a story that promises excitement, the movie’s potential speaks for itself.
The Next Three Days Fumbles Its Most Promising Aspects
Firstly, The Next Three Days‘ incredible cast is remarkably misleading. Crowe is undoubtedly the star, and Simpkins and Banks each play prominent roles, but the film’s other cast members are billed to draw an audience and little more. Liam Neeson’s character, for example, has only one short scene. Olivia Wilde features in a minor role throughout the movie, while Lennie James doesn’t enter the picture until the film’s third act.
What’s more, at each turn of the plot, the movie seems as though it might include a moral statement on freedom, guilt, or love. It doesn’t. It’s simply a relentlessly tense and competently executed prison break movie, with no real deeper themes to explore or examine. That’s a shame, as the film clearly had the potential to do so, but instead comes off as a generic popcorn movie with no original defining characteristics.
The Next Three Days is not a bad movie, it’s just nothing special. Despite good performances from Elizabeth Banks and Russell Crowe, it’s entirely unmemorable other than for its sparing use of multiple major stars. In that sense, it’s no wonder that the film was swiftly forgotten, because it simply did nothing at all to stand out.
Rating: 45%
Summary: It’s well-paced and dramatically engaging, but The Next Three Days ultimately fails to do anything new or compelling, and simply rehashes stories told more impressively in far better movies in the past.
Highlight: The entire third act is relentlessly tense, acting as an appropriately solid payoff to the film’s considerable build-up.