Paul Haggis is one of the most talented writers in Hollywood, havingmade films like Million Dollar Baby, Crash, Letters from Iwo Jima andthe new Bond films. His latest film is a remake of the French film,Anything for Her with an all-star cast.

John Brennan (Russell Crowe) is a typical family man and an Englishlecturer whom world is turned upside-down after his wife is a sentencefor murder for 20-years. After all routes of appeal are exhorted hiswife Lara (Elizabeth Banks) attempts to commit suicide. Knowing hiswife can not survive in prison John plans her escape from prison and toa foreign country. He does everything he can think of, including buyingfake documents, photographing the prison to find any weak links, sellhis house and research every technique he needs to help his wife. Buthe has to explore his own dark side to achieve it.

Haggis is an excellent writer because his stories and characters areall thought out. He attempts to make his films realistic and one of theaspects I liked about is how John sets about planning the escape plan:from asking drug dealers for ID papers and researching youtube videos.The main two characters are well rounded and developed, particularlyCrowe who is in very man mode: he is a character who turns from aordinary man who wanted to do things through the system who turns intoa criminal. The cops are the main antagonists, but they are just madeout to be ordinary cops just doing their jobs, not corrupt or evilpeople. There are some really unlikely events like when a man goes toJohn's house and offers to make him documents (who is deaf for no realreason), and has contradictory intelligence (sometimes smart, sometimesdumb). An problem is how John can act so calmly with the police on hisback, know exactly what they would do and coming up with ways to avoidthem: much of it relies on luck. Some of the pacing is a little slowand about 10 to 15 minutes could have been cut. But these problems arenot disastrous and Haggis does deliver a fun thriller.

The acting in the film is good. As already mention Crowe give a goodperformance (his American accent is better then his English one). Heworked well with Banks and she gave a strong performance. It is madeeven better because she is know for being a comic actress and she showsshe has other acting skills. Hopefully she will get to get to test herrange even more. Most of the supporting did a decent job, but the didnot have much to do. Liam Neeson was in the film but his role is just acameo, feeling like he thought he had a couple of days free and thatthe role was easy money.

On a final note, Danny Elfman gives the film an intense score whichreally added to the tension within the film.

7.5 out of 10.

A middle class couple is quietly at home with their little son in theevening when suddenly police officers invade the house and arrest thewife charging her with the murder of her boss, another woman. Evidenceis against her and she ends up by being convicted and getting a heavyprison sentence. We might think that the story will develop itself inorder to prove if she is guilty or innocent. Not at all. You will onlyknow that in the very end. Because what the movie shows us after she isdefinitely convicted are the efforts of her loving husband (RussellCrowe) to conceive and execute a plan to take her out of jail. Theseefforts know advances and retreats and include even some very violentscenes including an assault on him by drug dealers and some censurablekillings he also does. Suddenly the wife gets a notice according towhich she is going to be moved to a state prison in another state. Thiscatches the husband by surprise and forces him to change plans andhurry up their execution. Then the last 30 minutes of the movie arereally thrilling and full of suspense scenes which will keep you clungto your seat in great excitement. The action is really the mostvaluable feature of the movie since the story in itself is not verydeep or original. But its development in images will keep youinterested and emotionally attentive all the time.

First of all, I was really loved by the story and the actor and thedirector was really successful in catching our attention and all ouremotions with what the story was going through till the end.

But the end after this rush, I asked a question "is all is fair in loveand war?" Would I break the rules because of love or because I , orsomeone has been falsely guilty? would I correct something wrong withanother wrong? If we lose faith in God, we then try to commit suicide,break the law or do any other wrong act, in the name of love, or in thename of raising our child. We should be strong even in front of love.we shouldn't: "Lose who you are to save what you love" "I would onlyask of God"

Just saw this at a London preview screening.

I have not seen the original that this is apparently a remake of so Icannot compare. What I can say is that this movie was deftly directedwith a perfect pacing that smoothly shifts through each gear from 1 tofull throttle. It starts off with the necessary slow exposition,transitioning to a heartfelt family crisis drama and crime thrillerwith the tension slowly cranking up to a breakneck speed when I wasliterally holding my breath in the compelling edge of the seat finale.

What I admire most about this film is the smooth kinetic flow fromscene to scene. There didn't seem to be any implausible leap in logicapart from maybe towards the end but everything just connects togetherso well. All of the actors were superb in their roles. As for RusselCrowe, well I can't think of many actors who expresses wordless undyinglove better than he can. He is simply a master of it and you just canthelp root for him even if he makes or contemplates morally wrongdecisions. His character is beautifully played with all theinvulnerability, weaknesses and stubborn obsession he possesses.

The supporting actors were all excellent in the little screen time thatthey each get. And there is even a brilliant cameo by a well knownIrish actor (shant spoil who it is for you) that sparked up the screenbriefly in an instrumental role to the plot. The great Brian Denhheyalso has a few minutes on screen time as Crowes father, hardly utteringa word but you just know exactly what is going on in his mind and it isabsolutely touching.

So in summary, this is a top thriller with an exhilarating edge of theseat 3rd act, enriched by beautifully touching moments and thickunderlying subtext of undying love.

Greetings again from the darkness. Paul Haggis, Russell Crowe,Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson? Count me in! Oh wait, you mean there ismore to making a quality movie than just gathering together a bunch oftalented people? Well if you need proof ...

Maybe my expectations were too high. Paul Haggis has proved himself tobe a remarkable writer (Crash, Million Dollar Baby) and an excellentdirector (Crash, In the Valley of Elah). Russell Crowe is one of thefinest actors working. Elizabeth Banks is a stunning talent - bothhighly comedic and full of range. Liam Neeson adds a touch of class toevery film he is in (this one's no exception). The film is watchable,but such a stretch from the real world.

The best part of the film is the scene with Crowe and Neeson. Neeson'scharacter has escaped from SEVEN prisons and Crowe needs some tips sohe can bust out his wife (Banks) who has been wrongly (maybe, maybenot) convicted of murder. The scene plays awfully close to aninfomercial on "How to Break out of Prison" hosted by Liam Neeson. OK,I didn't say the scene was believable, just the best in the film. Trynot to wonder how a guy that breaks out of prison SEVEN times (andfinally surrenders because he is tired of looking over his shoulder) isactually a free man able to meet Crowe for coffee.

What I am most disappointed in is the manner in which Crowe's collegeprofessor frump of a man transforms into an action figure after meetingwith Neeson and getting his rear end kicked trying to buy fake ID's.Suddenly he is out-gunning drug dealers and driving the fastest everPrius in reverse down a dark alley ... and then going head to head withstrategy against some near clairvoyant detectives. Wow.

Certainly not going to tell you if Crowe's plan actually works or ifsomehow he masters the art of flexibility while on the run. Whateverhappens, I would have preferred him to remain true to his characterearly in the film. I totally get his frustration with the system andhis desperation to free his wife - just not the quick transformation tomodern day Gladiator.

The supporting cast in the film is given very little to do. OliviaWilde (thirteen from House) is wasted as the mother of a friend toCrowe's kid. Daniel Stern has one scene as Banks' attorney. RZA playsan unscrupulous drug dealer (redundant?). While it's great to see BrianDennehy on screen as Crowe's father, it is unfortunate he is reduced tobeing near silent and all-knowing.

The movie would make a fine diversion on one of those sleepless nightswhen it hits cable, but right now, I am just annoyed at the waste oftalent and the lack of effort to make a better film.