Alyssa Milano’s Brazen isn’t earth-shattering, but then again, it isn’t meant to be. I repeat, the movie isn’t meant to break the wheel, and sometimes, that’s okay. You don’t always need something deep or life changing. Sometimes you just want to watch something entertaining and have some fun.
That’s exactly what Brazen is going for. Like Hallmark, there’s a formula to these things, and the movie sticks to it to a “T.” I will watch every movie with a princess, a castle and Christmas that you can throw at me, and I think there’s a formula there that could absolutely work for these types of movies.
Brazen is going for exactly that market, as it presents us with a female-led mystery that can, perhaps, turn into a series down the line. And that’s perhaps the most interesting thing about it, even if it has a more-or-less likeable protagonist and yes, a romance that they don’t even try to pretend isn’t coming.
Possibilities are always interesting, what can I say?
We’ve seen these types of movies before, many times. They always star white men. And they always get a good reception, even if most of the times, the storyline isn’t exactly hard to follow. Anyone’s who’s read one mystery book or watched a few episodes of a procedural will be able to guess who the killer is long before the main characters in this movie do. There are a few surprises here and there, but despite the fact that this is a thriller, the movie doesn’t rely on gotcha to make you invest.
Instead, it leans into characters. It wants you to care. And though I didn’t exactly leave this desperate to know more about these people, I also didn’t leave thinking I never wanted to hear from them again. Tepid, I know, but if there’s another movie, another mystery for them to solve, I will be watching. And if there are five more, well …I will also be watching. In the background as I do other things, probably, but hey, that’s still watching.
Hopefully, next time, the case won’t involve a family member and Grace won’t spend so much of the time making eyes at Ed – whether to get him to let her help solve the case, or because she just wants to make eyes at him, both very valid options. Ed is fine to look at (no, more than fine), but he doesn’t exactly add anything to this film other than hotness factor.
If he’s supposed to be the prince, all I’m saying is that there are better ones. Just like there are better movies.
All in all, if you like mystery and you want a Hallmark-like one, this might just be your thing. Don’t set your expectations too high, and you’ll be fine. You might even be entertained enough that you wouldn’t mind a few more of these.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Brazen? Share with us in the comments below!
Brazen is available to stream on Netflix.
