So there's really nothing wrong with the film per se. It's just a little short of being great. But is it good enough for an afternoon watch? Of course it is. I saw it during my lunch break. The characterisation was great - although I thought that Russell Crowe's parents could've been fleshed out a little bit more. Brian Dennehy is capable of so much more - but his quiet strength and gritty grace here more than made up for an unimpressive role. I grew up with Dennehy as villains that you'd love to punch in the face. It's great to see him in a good guy role - a somewhat Pa Kent-like role, in fact - as Russell Crowe's father. But then there's really so much going on all the time and you soon find yourself getting so caught up with the details of Crowe's insane plan to spring his wife from prison that there's really not one boring moment in the film.
In other words, it's very difficult to say what made the film less than what it should be. You keep feeling that it could be better but then one moment while you're complaining that the pace is slow, the next moment the tension builds up so much that you find yourself gripping on to the chair with sweaty palms - when was the last time a fugitive movie felt so satisfying? Possibly when Tommy Lee Jones was pursuing the escaped Harrison Ford in "The Fugitive".
Of course, the real redeeming factor for the film is the excellent performances by Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. They gave it their all. But in the end it felt like a waste of talent on a film that really should have been better.
