6/12/2022

The Brave (1997) - Depp's directorial train wreck

 

+ 2nd Worst Movie of the Year

+ Worst $ Return of the Year: 0.16 times the cost 

 

Johnny Depp's massive face and a scene of passion (involving himself) makes up this dark poster for Johnny Depp's own The Brave

A formerly imprisoned native American with a drinking problem heads to a job interview, and he mysteriously obtains the very strange and well-paid job ...

 

The Brave is written Paul McCudden (In the Name of the Father (1992, short)), D.P. Depp and co-writer/director/co-star, debuting Johnny Depp (The Every Cake, Neil (1988, short)). It is an adaptation of the same-titled 1991 novel by Gregory Mcdonald (Safekeeping (1985)).

The strange job that Depp's character in the film obtains is to be the person killed in a snuff film 7 days after taking it on; a fact that is informed on the DVD backside if not very clearly in the actual film itself.

The Brave moves so slowly that it feels as if it has stalled or is in fact moving backwards. Marlon Brando (On the Waterfront (1954)) is the wheelchair-bound 'employer', who rambles about death in a single scene. Depp seems despondent and walks around in torment as a useless layabout in a vacuum-like corner of the US, which never feels like a real place. His wife, - yes, he has a wife, (and children, too!), - is furious.

Initial interest soon drops to zero with The Brave, and the attraction of the project is unclear. It is a catastrophic directorial attempt from Depp.

 

Related posts:

 

Johnny Depp: Murder on the Orient Express (2017) - Branagh's star-studded Christie match is auspicious (co-star)

Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016) - Bobin, Woolverton and Disney's poorly constructed sequel (co-star) 

Mortdecai (2015) - Comedic wonder Depp creates mirth in divisive Koepp adaptation (co-star)

Tusk (2014) - Smith goes all-out wack (actor)

Dark Shadows (2012) - Fun, flamboyant vampire romp is a celebration of culture (star) 

For No Good Reason (2012, documentary) or, Ralph Steadman, Artist (interview co-star)

Rango (2011) - Verbinski's amusing family western animation (voice star) 

The Rum Diary (2011) or, The Puerto Rican Adventure of Mr. Kemp (star)

Alice in Wonderland (2010) - Wasikowska is the perfect lead for Burton's visual wonderland (co-star)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) or, Tim Burton's Bloody Theatrics (star)

Corpse Bride (2005) - Impressive, loud, hollow, dark doll fairytale (voice co-star)

Finding Neverland (2004) - Forster and an inspired cast strike gold with story of Peter Pan's creation (co-star)

The Libertine (2004) - Just your old-fashioned wigs-and-cunts drama (star) 

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - Verbinski's sprawling Disney swashbuckler is a prime summer spectacle (co-star)

Blow (2001) or, Cocaine Comes to America (co-star)

From Hell (2001) - The Hughes Brothers' persuasive up-tempo Ripper slasher (co-star)

Chocolat (2000) - Delicious pairing in spite of Hallström's ghastly taste (co-star)

The Man Who Cried (2000) - Potter's forlorn war drama is a clonker for the ages (co-star) 

The Ninth Gate (1999) - Class and atmosphere galore in underrated Polanski thriller (star)

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - Depp's Thompson lives and breathes in Gilliam's outrageous, drug-fueled masterpiece (co-star) 

1997 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Donnie Brasco (1997) - Newell's fantastic, authentic gangster tale (co-star)

Dead Man (1995) - Jarmusch's bold, poetic, rich Americana masterpiece (star)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) or, Don't Fall Asleep! (actor, debut)

 


 

Watch a 2-minute clip from the film here


Cost: Reportedly 5-7 mil. $

Box office: Unknown

= Uncertain but likely a box office disaster (projected return of 0.16 times its cost)

[The Brave premiered 10 May (Cannes Film Festival, in competition) and runs 123 minutes. Touchstone Pictures were meaning to start production in 1994, when the project's then director Aziz Ghazal murdered his wife and daughter and committed suicide. The Disney-owned company withdrew, but McCudden and producer Charles Evans worked on and got the script to Depp, who reportedly disliked it, - but not so much that he didn't pick it up for his directorial debut, after a re-write with his brother. Brando reportedly signed on for no salary, bonding with Depp over their shared strong sympathy for native Americans. - Especially in light of this, it is hard to understand how the cost of the film could have run as high as 5-7 mil. $, which is nevertheless what is reported. Shooting took place in California, including in Los Angeles. Depp reportedly promised backers that he'd personally pay, if the budget went over its reported allotment of 5 mil. $, and it is reported that he injected upwards of 2 mil. $ of his own money into it. Upset at US critics' lampooning it at its Cannes premiere, Depp decided against releasing it theatrically or on video in North America. There are no numbers out on its performance in the 7 international markets where it was released, but it is most likely that it made no more than perhaps 1 mil. $ or less theatrically, making it a box office disaster. Depp only returned as director with music videos, mainly for his then-wife Vanessa Paradis. On screen he returned in Cannes Man (1997). 10k+ IMDb users have given The Brave a 6.1/10 average rating.]

 

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