The Next Three Days is an overlong but entertaining thriller starring Russell Crowe and written and directed by Paul Haggis. Haggis’s movie Crash won best picture but that picture was divisive and overrated. The Next Three Days drops the preaching of Crash in favor of solid, straight-ahead thrills. The movie is far from perfect though. It’s at least 15-20 minutes too long and a few of the scenes strain credibility to the breaking point.

The Next Three Days is about a teacher whose wife is arrested for a murder he is sure she hasn’t committed and his plan to break her out of jail. With the help of some unsavory characters (including a smug Liam Neeson, in Taken mode), he comes up with a plan to break his wife out of jail and escape with his young son and family intact. Solid acting all around and the DVD includes some nice extras as well. They include a commentary, a making of featurette, and extended and deleted scenes. The Next Three Days is a fun, escapist entertainment that despite its flaws, is well worth a look.

GRADE: B

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