One Netflix UK film has become a surprise hit amongst subscribers – and has even been compared to a classic Martin Scorsese movie
Netflix is currently streaming a late 2000s revenge thriller starring one of Hollywood’s most iconic actresses, and it has become an unexpected hit amongst subscribers. Featuring The Silence of the Lambs legend Jodie Foster and directed by Neil Jordan (Interview with the Vampire), this genuine cult classic has rocketed to the number five position on Netflix’s film chart.
It is currently outperforming iconic superhero films Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, as well as another cult favourite added to the platform this week, Jennifer’s Body. The Brave One follows Foster as radio host Erica Bain who, along with her fiancé Dr David Kirmani (played by Naveen Andrews), are attacked by a gang of thugs in New York’s Central Park.
When David succumbs to his injuries, Erica is consumed by a desire for revenge and acquires a pistol, embarking on a reckless spree of vigilante killings while attempting to track down her fiancé’s murderers, reports the Mirror.
Along the way, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Detective Sean Mercer (Terrence Howard), who begins to harbour suspicions that Erica has decided to take the law into her own hands.
While it garnered mixed reviews upon its release in 2007, scoring just 43 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, The Brave One has steadily built up a devoted cult following, many of whom have drawn favourable comparisons to Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, which featured one of Foster’s earliest roles as sex worker Iris. One glowing review from an IMDb user described it as a “modern Taxi Driver” with Foster’s revenge-driven Erica replacing Robert De Niro’s iconic Travis Bickle.
“The Brave One is a fantastic film with a very good plot, good direction and acting,” they said. “I find it very similar in themes to Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and Jodie Foster’s character (Erica) is like Travis in Taxi Driver, playing a character who is originally minding her own business, but finally becomes a victim of the society, and decides to take revenge and run the law by herself.”
Another described the film as “basically a woman’s version of Taxi Driver” with one scene that even feels taken directly from the 1976 classic. “That being said, that doesn’t make this a bad movie because all artists steal. Where Brave One gets interesting is in the way it deals with gender,” they explained, and added: “Jodie Foster was born to play this role.”
A fan on Letterboxd agreed, declaring “Movie theory: Jodie Foster waited 30 years only to be starring in her own much better version of Taxi Driver” in their four-and-a-half-star review.
Watch Unchosen on Sky for free
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows.
This includes the brand new UK drama Unchosen, starring Asa Butterfield and Christopher Eccleston.
And another concurred: “It’s like Taxi Driver, only instead of a psychopathic cab driver like Travis, it’s prostitute Iris all grown up as a radio host.” One final enthusiast gave it a wholehearted endorsement: “Wowzers. This was such a great, intense, emotional and meaningful film. Jodie Foster is such a phenomenal actress. The final scene was so suspenseful and meaningful.. LOVED IT!!”
Hundreds of Netflix UK subscribers appear to have already unearthed this noughties classic, so be sure to get on board and brace yourself for a nail-biting tale of violence and revenge.
The Brave One is available to stream on Netflix.
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