The conflict between a mother and her teenage daughter is one that has occurred for centuries, often stemming over the daughter’s notion of independence versus the mother’s desire to do what she feels is best for her daughter regardless of her daughter’s wishes. Brave (directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman) seeks to tell that age-old story in a new manner, setting it in Scotland in the Middle Ages, and allowing both the mother and the daughter to allow both their voices to be heard, unlike many narratives that only take one side of the story.
The story focuses on Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald), fiercely independent and free-spirited, who is at odds with her mother Elinor (Emma Thompson) who desires her to be more regal. Events come to a head when Merida is to be married, and after showing up her suitors, she runs off, and makes a deal with a mysterious witch that turns out to have very bad consequences. Merida asks for her mother to change, and change she does… but not in the way Merida expects. Without spoiling the film’s clever plot twists, events force Merida and Elinor to rely on each other to survive, and through this, to gain a better understanding of what makes the other one tick.
The dual narrative is the main strength of the film. Instead of simply telling it from Merida’s point of view (which would have made the movie about the daughter protagonist versus the mother antagonist), the film gives equal time to both characters, allowing the audience to see that both are flawed human beings who just want to do what they think is best for their lives. The direction helps immensely with showing the needs of the two characters evolving into one shared goal, creating a world where the weather and the forest reflects the emotional states of both protagonists. When Merida and Elinor are lost and emotionally distraught, it pours. When they are confused and unsure of themselves, they are blanketed in a thick fog. The subtlety of this shows how well Andrews and Chapman know their story and the characters within it.
However, the film does have some flaws, most notably in the runtime. The film is only around an hour and a half, and it shows. While the overall character arcs of Elinor and Merida are strong ones, there is only a short amount of time in the film where the two characters truly grow and learn to respect each other. The growth of their relationship could have had far more depth, and since that was the lynchpin the movie itself rested on, that would doubtlessly have created a stronger and even more emotionally satisfying film. Ac
t one was quite strong, as was act three, but act two needed far more time to explore and delve deeper into the wonderful landmine of character interaction that that the script contained. As a result, the film feels rushed at points.
Another issue the film has is with the score, which succeeds in certain instances but stumbles in others. While it works extremely well when trying to evoke optimism or mystery, it fails in helping accentuate the humor of the film, thus allowing many jokes to fall flat that would have been more successful if accompanied with the right audio cues. The film may make you smile at points, but no moments are rolling-on-the-floor hilarious, in large part because of the music. However, when it comes to feel-good music, the film achieves its goal, and will doubtless leave you with a smile on your face as you leave the theater.
Rating: Though not perfect, a thoroughly satisfying emotional journey (7/10)
Recent Comments