Sometimes melodrama works. Then the reviewer in me faces a dilemma. I know that you need to buy into the story in order to feel anything in a melodrama, but who does not buy into it if they are parents, faced the teen crises of their kids, were too busy to dedicate to them the time they deserve (which is approximately all the time in the world)? Did I actually name all the parents population in the world with a few rare exceptions? Of course, only very few of us if any practice the profession of paid killer in the service of the CIA, as does Kevin Costner in 3 Days to Kill, a combination of a ‘absent father – daughter’ relation with a Luc Besson co-written thriller.
source http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2172934/
I belong to the category of fans who are quite disappointed about the downturn of the career of Kevin Costner (both as actor and director). It’s due in my opinion to some big projects that were less successful than planned at the end of the 90s, followed by a lack of great roles. ‘3 Days to Kill’ is not the film that will put his acting career back on the stellar path, it’s a lead role but written in a manner where accurate execution and a touch of humor and sensibility are all that is needed. Which Costner delivers.
(video source Movieclips Trailers)
There is nothing special and nothing wrong in this film directed by McG. The professional level of execution of the story telling, good acting with a cast which aside Costner also includes another semi-comeback by Connie Nielsen, a touch of humor which makes the violence on screen palatable, the background of Paris which always looks well – all these are actually the setting for the family melodrama which simply works. The cast also includes good performances by Hailee Steinfeld (in the role of the teenage daughter, she actually has an impressive acting record although she was just around 18 when the film was made) and Marc Andréoni.
We can ask for more, of course, but for this summer day it was the good entertainment I needed.