Forgotten Film Friday: Red Corner

A retrospective by Brooks Rich

Jack Moore (Richard Gere) is an American businessman in China to finalize a satellite communications. deal. He soon finds himself in police custody, accused of murdering the daughter of a high ranking general. His court appointed attorney Shen Yuelin (Bai Ling) is initially skeptical of his innocence but the two form a bond eventually and work together to prove his innocence.

This is a pretty standard thriller that was common in the late '90s and early '00s. I miss this type of movie. I am not saying Red Corner is going to blow you away. You won't come away from it going, wow my life is forever changed after watching this legal thriller with Richard Gere from 1999. It's just a good solid movie. Nothing is wrong with it and it has a good story and strong performances. Director Jon Avnet is solid in his direction, telling the story in a slick stylish way.

Gere's career is interesting around this time. He was trying to move away from being the romantic lead in rom com's so he did more serious roles like this, The Jackal, Primal Fear, and Unfaithful, which is fantastic and in my opinion his best performance. He is a solid dramatic and is great as the wrongfully imprisoned American in Red Corner. Gere is one of those actors who can pull off the everyman role.

I say check this out. Why not? We don't get thrillers like this anymore. It seems everything has to be bigger and louder. I miss movies where it might not be a spectacle but it's a good solid story. There is such a thing as too much. Too much bombast and too much desire but studios to be an event film. Sometimes we just need smaller movies like Red Corner.

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