Review
The Brave
- Director
- Johnny Depp
- Year
- 1997
- Rating
- Reviewed by
- Gon C Curiel a.k.a. Groucho
- Review date
- Thursday, June 29, 2006
The story comes from Gregory McDonald’s novel of the same name which is hailed as a masterpiece by several readers and critics, whose descriptions make it look like it’s even more gut-wrenching than the film adaptation. It concerns a down-on-his-luck Native American called Raphael (Johnny Depp) who takes a job he hears about in a bar. The initial sequence is beautiful, as it shows Raphael heading towards the place where he’ll apply for the job, with such tranquility and peace that it only makes it more shocking when we find out what it’s all about.
He gets to a dark, sleazy place, where a nasty man called Larry (Marshall Bell), treating him with great disrespect, conducts him to an even creepier room to meet McCarthy (Marlon Brando). It is unclear who this man, who moves around in a very peculiar wheelchair, is or what he does, but he speaks clearly to Raphael about their new agreement: he’s going to get paid $50,000 to get killed a week later.
Why and how, is barely developed in the film; while the novel graphically describes a snuff film that Raphael is going to star in, the movie makes it look like it’s all for McCarthy’s sick needs. It’s not important though; what matters is that Raphael knows he’s going to be tortured and killed, and he still goes through with it.
Paid one third in advance, Raphael goes back to his family, buys them gifts and tries to spend a worthwhile last week. His wife Rita (Elpidia Carrillo) is by now unattached to and disappointed by her unemployed, alcoholic, ex-con husband, but she ends up believing that this is clean money and falls into his spell. Not only does Raphael clean up his act with his wife that week, but he also rebuilds his relationship with his children, especially his son, and reevaluates his criminal life with his vicious ex-partner Luis (Luis Guzmán). Everything looks brighter and better as the days go by, but his appointment with death is still there, as reminded by Larry who keeps coming back, every time with more dreadful comments and threatening actions.
Raphael’s community lives next to a garbage dump and their living can hardly be called that. The existence of these people is a living hell, but Raphael’s decision is potentially another kind of hell for himself and his family. There’s a very important character in the form of Father Stratton (Clarence Williams III), who talks some sense into Raphael though it seems too late. After all, the young man’s existence looks like a dead end regardless of his decision.
I hear the novel is much better, and much sadder, but I don’t see why this movie shouldn’t be shown to any audience. Depp’s work in front and behind the camera is effective and deeply moving, and Brando’s presence is a constant though he only appears a few minutes as he used to do at the end of his career. I also enjoyed the rest of the cast thoroughly, including Floyd ‘Red Crow’ Westerman as Raphael’s father who gives us some precious moments.
Iggy Pop’s music score is also a great asset and gives an extra touch to the very sensible theme. I really liked this film. I hope Mr. Depp co-scripts and directs some more.
“The final measure of bravery is to stand up to death.”
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Morris wrote at 6/30/2006 7:30:53 PM:
I saw this movie about six years ago and I found it both interesting and lacking, didn't really like it that much. Depp and Brando are a pairing made in heaven though.