Stay home for The Next Three Days

The Next Three Days seems more like the next three years. But don’t let that discourage you from watching it; just pay the $1 Redbox fee instead of the usual $10 at the theater.

Russell Crowe plays John, a community college professor, loving husband and dedicated father used to the routine of his day-to-day life. Until police barge into his home and arrest his wife, Lara (played by Elizabeth Banks) for murder. The evidence is damning. Lara has the victim’s blood on her jacket, her fingerprints are all over the murder weapon and the two ladies had fought the night of the murder. But John refuses to believe his wife is capable of killing.

As Lara’s last attempt at appealing is turned down and legal options dwindle, John decides to take action. Over the next three months, he plans his wife’s escape from jail with the help of a veteran escapee and unsuspecting family members along the way. Action dies down, and the next thirty minutes drag on.

Once the pace picks up again, you’ll be rewarded. Unlike other predictable films, with John’s minor successes come major failures, and director Paul Haggis (Crash, In the Valley of Elah, Casino Royale) effectively builds tension.

By the end, you won’t know what to think. John isn’t a superhero, nor is Lara a saint. In fact, you can’t even be sure if John is aiding and abetting a killer.

Despite solid performances by Crowe, Banks and even their on-screen son Luke, played by Ty Simpkins, this thriller might not be worth paying the full price for. Just wait, and watch it from the comfort of your couch. It will be equally rewarding.