James Movies that devote much of their time to detailed preparations for major crimes have always got up my nose, big-time, but "The Next Three Days" from Canadian Paul Haggis (who directed and screenwrote) is in a somewhat different class, thanks to its deployment of Russell Crowe in full single-minded obsessive mode (a la "Noah" or "Water Diviner" both in fact released 4 years after this movie). Here he's good-guy teacher John Brennan, whose commitment to his wife Laura is so great and unswerving that - as the book this film was based on puts it, he'll do "Anything for Her". And a bright guy who's also utterly determined can indeed get up to pretty much anything. But for that to work, we have to have a romance-cum-symbiosis between the husband and wife, and here a sublimely attractive, but even-more-gorgeous-below-the-surface Elizabeth Banks carries that off just beautifully. Somehow we viewers can just feel the sparks of chemistry that fly between the pair when they meet up, most especially at visiting times in the Allegheny Jail.This by the way makes it all the more devastating when John's meticulous (and largely unlawful) plans to break his wife out might conceivably be derailed, not by any external factors or technical difficulties, but by a moment of despair and anger from his other half that makes her try to persuade him she's actually guilty of the crime she's been locked up for. This is a good twist, as it externalises her feeling of guilt over how her incarceration has ruined their family life, but also her recognition that his devotion and loyalty to her probably exceeds hers for him, or indeed pretty much anything anyone can think of! She is tired of being married to a Saint, and wants to put him off. But of course he's in so deep, and the plan now means so much to him, that it matters not. He can't, won't believe she's guilty, and that's that.The idea that the police might somehow cotton on to what Brennan is planning is a touch far-fetched, but this opens up the film greatly (at just the right point) and also gives us the chance to see Lennie James in action as the Lieutenant - always a pleasure. Several other police staff do their portrayals well enough here likewise. Of course, teacher Brennan has to learn how jailbreaks can be achieved from someone, and who better than Liam Neeson in a cameo as an author whose claim to fame is describing how he himself got out (only to give himself up again at the end)? The shortlist of tips this guy offers in a few minutes forms the basis for a large chunk of John Brennan's life, and the meticulousness with which the scheme is set up is matched by the meticulous arranging of the film. The lovely Olivia Wilde is also in there, ostensibly to ensure that the Brennans' kid is at a party at Pittsburgh Zoo at the vital moment, leaving the dilemma of being together as couple or a full family writ large; but actually also serving to make it clear to us all that nothing/nobody can tempt John away from Laura.The great Brian Dennehy also has his part to play as John's father George, but boy do we have to wait for him to make his move! For what seems like an age he's saying and doing pretty much nothing; but then there's a vital, beautiful, if short couple of scenes in there at the end which allow yet another actor's integrity to shine through in this movie. If John has some fundamental understanding of his wife, so - at this moment - does tough-guy father George feel and understand and appreciate and praise exactly what his son is getting up to. And all achieved with hardly a word said!Few but Dennehy could have got that right, and it's a pleasure to watch him do so. In short, very little is left to chance in this film, and that really pays its dividends in delivering us a taut and meaningful crime thriller, but also a supremely romantic piece of storytelling. We envy (if slightly also fear) Brennan's feelings for his Laura, which go beyond love into some visceral need or addiction - he simply cannot exist as a whole human being while she is imprisoned. Indeed, this is even reflected cleverly in the filming, with colour only really making itself felt at the beginning, and again in the final half hour or so. In between, all is dark and dull and desperate, if of course supremely focused on Brennan's task in hand, which he pursues without fear, in the face of all possible odds.This is a fine piece of work that hasn't aged a bit in 8 years, and will pay both watching and rewatching.

emmkj20 Yes a well acted movie that needs an ending it's slow pace results in an unwelcome open ending. Shock horror she gets out... after watching Crowe's character flap around for over an hour and a half - the ending should close out 1. she's shot by cops, 2. proves innocence or 3. is caught with himself shot or visa versa.. or 4. Twist of all twists she's turns out to be a crazed killer ... none of which happen ... what a damp squib ending ....

cinemajesty Movie Review: "The Next Three Days" (2010)Initially being known in Hollywood as screenwriter of fixing high-end production toward decisive story twists, director Paul Haggis presents a fast-tracked U.S. remake of the French thriller "Pour Elle" (2008) in November 2010 to minor success at the domestic box office, even though the leading character John Brennan, performed by nerve-striking actor Russell Crowe, ready to give up everything for self-justice as suggested in an unfortunately cut-up scene with supporting actor Liam Neeson in a coffee shop, who explains the overall necessities of choosing a life on a run in order to bust out Brennan's wife from prison, portrayed by stone-cold chemistry unmatching actress Elizabeth Banks as Lara Brennan, in an accelerating thriller with an mainly hand-held coverage by cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine, who had been unable to stand apart with competent, yet indifferent lighting themes, which comes down to Paul Haggis' direction under pressure, missing out to find poetry in the visuals as in earlier directing efforts, despite one on highway climatic crash scene, where the leading characters answer the subjected question of what it takes to escape the ruins of an deceased family life.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

alindsay-al Russel crowe is one of the most recognisable names in Hollywood so I'm interested in anything he is in and I thought this was an alright film. The premise sees a school teacher try and break his wife out of prison and reunite his family. Now this movie only works because of the fantastic performance from russel crowe. He is a truly damaged character who just wants to have his family and his old life back and he will do anything to get it. You root for him but at the same time realise that maybe he is going to far. Elizabeth banks was good as his wife and there was allot of intrigue about the character and their chemistry worked for me. The kid was also pretty good in this movie. There are quite a few characters in this movie that are pointless and unnecessary such as the cops, crowes parents and Olivia Wilde's character that dragged down the film. I like the premise of the story, it is really interesting and I also really like the character development that crowe has. But like I said before there are just too many pointless filler plot threads in this movie and also I think the ending could have been done in a better way. The script wasn't that interesting at all with the dialogue being the main weakness of the film and also some things that characters do comes across as illogical. The style was really cool, I loved the suspense in the film and the action scenes that happened were really cool too. Overall this is a decent movie but I don't really care to see it again.