The Next Three Days

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The Next Three Days

PG-13

2010

2h 13m

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

Action

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Popcornmeter

50%

Tomatometer

168 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Life for John and Lara Brennan (Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks) is miserable after she is convicted of a murder she says she did not commit. Three years later while struggling with the demands of work and raising his son alone, John is still trying to establish her innocence. When her final appeal is rejected, Lara becomes suicidal, forcing John to exercise the only option he has left: Break her out of prison.

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Critics Consensus

Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks give it their all, but their solid performances aren't quite enough to compensate for The Next Three Days' uneven pace and implausible plot.

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Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

Sep 8, 2017

C+

It would have been far more compelling with a stronger actress but, truth be told, the ending started off anti-climactic then concluded very predictable.

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Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

Aug 12, 2011

2.5/5

Even with an actor of Crowe's skill, it's hard to believe the mild, thoughtful John would take to the mean streets of Pittsburgh for fake IDs, blast his way into drug houses and such.

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Philippa Hawker

The Age (Australia)

Feb 2, 2011

3/5

It's an all-consuming task, and Crowe makes this obsessiveness plausible.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jul 23, 2025

4/5

"The Next Three Days" pushes the right buttons and poses the right questions of morality much better than most other heist films.

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

Nov 20, 2023

3/4

Although no hidden gem, Russell Crowe could’ve done much worse than filling Mel Gibson’s family-man-of-action shoes. And writer-director Paul Haggis thankfully shelves his sociology-degree sermonizing for a pure-pulp prison-break thriller.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 3, 2023

2.5/4

It’s undeniably a smart movie, with some clever ideas and occasional bouts of suspense, but the scenario has so much potential for excitement and drama, which are lacking here, that the result feels like a missed opportunity.

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Tony M

@NikoDziko Oct 16, 2026

A solid thriller with a highly engaging pace. It’s admittedly a bit too long and some plot points are a stretch, but Russell Crowe fits this role perfectly. He delivers a great performance as an ordinary guy who makes mistakes and has to learn everything from scratch. His acting completely carries the movie.

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Jovana M.

@J_loves_movies May 28, 2026

What a wild ride and a great movie! Really keeps you at the edge of your seat the entire time. spolier alert: Half star off because of what remained unclear which is why was that woman, Lara's boss, murdered and why did anyone want to frame her for it.

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Roger P.

@RT51744219 Mar 10, 2026

Riveting. Keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.

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Giancarlo Z

@Giantcarlot Dec 21, 2025

What a fun movie! Most underrated action film of it's era. Normal guy tries to break his wife out of prison. What is there not to like?

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Aug 31, 2025

Success in 2 hours and 13 minutes long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $21,100,000.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ralph R

@RT14837316 Aug 26, 2025

The Next Three Days really pulls you in with that high-stakes urgency. Everything moves together in a way that feels natural, and the emotions hit just right without feeling forced. Russell Crowe gives a strong performance that grounds the whole story, and the rest of the cast does a solid job supporting him. The script is smart and well put together. Sure, there are a few cliché moments here and there, but they don’t drag the film down or take away from the experience. Paul Haggis deserves credit not just for the writing but for the directing too, he keeps the tension building and makes it all feel believable. It’s a thriller that balances emotion with suspense, and even when it leans into familiar territory, it still feels fresh and engaging.

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Paul Haggis

Director

Russell Crowe

John Brennan

Elizabeth Banks

Lara Brennan

Brian Dennehy

George Brennan

Lennie James

Lt. Nabulsi

Olivia Wilde

Nicole

The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Breaking Lara Out

3:00

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - I Know Who You Are

3:02

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Highway Spin-Out

2:46

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Escape

3:00

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Planning a Prison Break

2:57

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Lara's Arrest

3:00

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Drug Lord Robbery

3:00

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - Visiting Lara in Prison

2:54

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - False Passports

2:54

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The Next Three Days: Official Clip - The Bump Key

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The Next Three Days: Trailer 1

2:24

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Synopsis

Life for John and Lara Brennan (Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks) is miserable after she is convicted of a murder she says she did not commit. Three years later while struggling with the demands of work and raising his son alone, John is still trying to establish her innocence. When her final appeal is rejected, Lara becomes suicidal, forcing John to exercise the only option he has left: Break her out of prison.

Director: Paul Haggis
Producer: Michael Nozik, Paul Haggis, Marc Missonnier, Olivier Delbosc
Screenwriter: Paul Haggis
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Lionsgate Films, Hwy 61 Films
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Drug Material|Some Sexuality|Thematic Elements|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 19, 2010, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.1M
Runtime: 2h 13m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS

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