The 2022 thriller movie ‘Brazen’ sounds like a fun flick, but nothing can be farther away from the truth. Directed by Monika Mitchell, it’s based on a 1998 book by Nora Roberts, and is just as outdated as the publishing date of its original source material.
I haven’t read the book, but the makers do tweak the story to keep things up to date with time – ‘Brazen’ follows the murder of a woman who was leading a double life, teacher during day and racy webcam performer by night. Her sister Grace (Alyssa Milano), a famous crime writer, tries to crack the case by interfering in the investigation.
Despite having hackers, live webcams, cctv cameras, the story feels like it’s stuck in the 1990s. And lead actors Alyssa Milano and Sam Page have zero chemistry. I didn’t have the patience or interest in their romantic scenes and would just fast-forward them.
In-fact, ‘Brazen’ would’ve probably been a whole lot more entertaining if it had better lead actors. It’s the supporting cast, the actors playing high-school students, whose performances are a lot more convincing than the primary protagonists.
Also, some stuff in the script is just not in sync with the character brief of the leads. For example, Grace is a famous crime writer, and even though her age isn’t explicitly mentioned, she is either in her late 30s or early 40s. The first thing she does when she sees her sister’s body is scream like a teen cheerleader in a horror movie.
Instead of calling the cops/ambulance, Grace rushes out and breaks into a pool of loud tears again. WTF woman? Are you sure you are a crime writer? And then when her neighbor rushes to help, she wonders through her tears if the sister is okay. She is dead, you wimp. Why was she even crying and screaming if she thought the sister was alive.
Whatever, this film is just bad. Even though it’s only 90 minutes long, ‘Brazen’ manages to be dull, boring and absolutely skip-worthy. It’s a 4/10 from me. Don’t even bother.
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Ep 64 – 15 Random but Great Book Recommendations
