Brazen is a 2022 American crime-thriller movie directed by Monika Mitchell, and it is an adaptation of Nora Roberts’ best-selling novel called “Brazen Virtue” published in 1988. The movie was released on January 13, 2022, and it is an original film on Netflix. The movie follows the life of a crime novel writer named Grace, as she is forced to embark on a murder investigation involving her sister that eventually leads her to a series of other killings.
Synopsis
After the release of her best-selling novel, Grace visits her sister Kathleen in Washington D.C. to ask for support in her custody battle against her ex-husband. However, she discovers that Kathleen has been murdered and becomes the prime suspect. Later, as the police launch a full investigation into the murder, other victims with similar marks begin to appear. Grace, who works her way diligently to uncover the killer’s identity, is forced to navigate through a maze of clues and confront those closest to the victims, including Kathleen’s students.
Review
The movie, “Brazen” tells the story of an author who is compelled to unravel the motive behind her sister’s murder, leading her to more complex discoveries and eventually to a face-off with the killer. Although the storyline sounds intriguing, the movie’s slow and predictable plot hurts its chances to shine. Brazen falls flat regarding delivery, with its mediocre graphics, dialogues that lack originality and pace that sometimes stalls the plot, making it quite tedious to watch.
One of the advantages of the film, “Brazen” is that it has complex characters with intricate and disentangled stories. The evident issue, however, was that some of these characters seemed to be needing more screen time to clarify their motives. The protagonist, Grace, played by Alyssa Milano, had a decent performance, but there were times she failed to carry the weight of the movie on her shoulders. Sam Page’s acting as Ed, the detective on the case, was decent, but his performance was often dull.
The movie tackles the theme of obsession that turns ordinary people into something more sinister. As the plot unfolds, it underscores the idea that nobody knows their loved ones as well as they think they do. The story veers off the predictable path for a few moments, but ultimately returns to the familiar path of the crime genre, leaving little to no room for surprise.
In conclusion, “Brazen” is a movie that falls short of expectation. Though it has a compelling plot and a decent cast, its predictable storyline and choppy-paced plot make it barely worthy of a one-time watch. It’s a movie happy to follow the beaten path of the crime genre without the imagination to rework any of its tropes to make an impact on the audience.
