Brazen – Netflix Review (3/5)

BRAZEN on Netflix is a new crime thriller starring Alyssa Milano. It’s based on the novel “Brazen Virtue” by Nora Roberts and while it is fairly predictable, it’s also surprisingly entertaining. Read our full Brazen movie review here!

BRAZEN is a new Netflix crime thriller based on the novel “Brazen Virtue” by Nora Roberts. It has all the makings of a classic TV movie and starts out that way as well. However, even though the ending is ultimately quite predictable, it’s surprisingly kitsch and entertaining along the way.

Even the runtime of just around 90 minutes is perfectly suited for the story.

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Continue reading our Brazen movie review below and find it on Netflix now.

Deliciously familiar and entertaining

In Brazen, we follow the very successful crime-mystery author, Grace (Alyssa Milano). She has also become somewhat of a crime expert and has even worked with the police on active cases. Grace hurries back to her family home in Washington, D.C. because her estranged sister calls her after five years of having no contact.

Shortly after arriving (very shortly), her sister Kathleen (Emilie Ullerup) is murdered, which quickly exposes her double life as a webcam performer. Grace insists on helping to solve the case which means working with detective Ed (Sam Page) even though the two have just begun a romantic interaction.

What really lifts Brazen from the otherwise predictable plot, is the performances of all the actors. Alyssa Milano (Charmed) is perfect as the whip-smart and astute writer, who forges ahead. And Sam Page (Mad Men) is charming but in a very natural and real way.

Let’s not forget that the target audience for this Netflix crime-thriller is definitely [straight] women, so his role is very important in that sense. Just as Alyssa Milano’s is, but for different reasons. In other key roles, we have Daniel Diemer (Black Summer), Matthew Finlan (October Faction), and David Lewis (Child’s Play).

Enjoy this or just leave it!

Look, if you loathe Lifetime movies or the very familiar “twists and turns” of most Christmas movies, then Brazen is not for you. However, we’re approaching this movie for what it is; A crime thriller that utilizes familiar tropes and stereotypes, but with a kitsch and honest approach.

As such, Brazen is a surprisingly entertaining experience that is definitely worth your time.

And yeah, sure, you’ll probably guess the ending a bit ahead of time. But honestly, you’re supposed to. It’s like reading a crime novel by the main character; When you arrive at the conclusion, you’ve been guided to know the how, why and who of it all.

Just embrace it and enjoy the ride or leave it. Don’t watch it and expect Christopher Nolan or M. Night Shyamalan-like twists and blame it for not delivering. This is not that kind of thriller!

Watch Brazen on Netflix now!

As already mentioned, this Netflix movie was based on the novel “Brazen Virtue” by Nora Roberts. The actual screenplay was written by Suzette Couture, Donald Martin, and Edithe Swensen.

Monika Mitchell is the director of Brazen and if you look at her IMDb resume, she has a lot of experience in both indie productions and television. Including Christmas movies such as the 2019 Netflix addition The Knight Before Christmas.

For me, this Netflix crime-thriller very much feels like a TV movie, but with enough kitsch and campy vibes that I find it surprisingly entertaining. Not to say anything bad about TV movies, because they are the perfect guilty pleasure for so many. Familiar and predictable can be very good.

I was just happy that Brazen managed to have more edge than I ever expected. Not the actual ending, admittedly, but I sure did end up enjoying the ride so much more than I dared hope for.

Brazen is out on Netflix worldwide from January 13, 2022.

Details

Director: Monika Mitchell
Screenplay: Suzette Couture, Donald Martin
Stars: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Malachi Weir, Colleen Wheeler, Matthew Finlan, Lossen Chambers, Barry W. Levy, Aaron Paul Stewart, Jack Armstrong