Brazen
Brazen
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Brazen, based on the Nora Roberts novel Brazen Virtue, shows some explicit violence and sexual scenarios. Women who dress up and act out dominatrix fantasies via webcams for clients are getting strangled and killed. Their deaths and struggles with the intruder are shown, as are their lifeless bodies afterwards. Two women survive the attacks. Other "fantasies" are glimpsed on screens, including people in various sexual positions and bondage. A man holds up a convenience store at gunpoint, and there are a few punches and fist fights. A man and a woman are falling in love, and they kiss, begin to undress each other, then wake up together under covers. Language includes "s--t," "Christ," and "Oh my God."
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What's the Story?
Best-selling mystery author Grace (Alyssa Milano) comes to Washington, DC at the request of her sister, Kathleen (Emilie Ullerup), at the start of BRAZEN. She doesn't know that Kathleen, a school teacher in a bitter custody battle and with a difficult past, has been making money on the side by playing a dominatrix for a live video service. Grace goes on a promising date with neighbor and detective Ed (Sam Page), then comes home and finds Kathleen murdered. Grace convinces Ed's police captain to let her help in the investigation, which takes on more urgency as other dominatrixes start turning up dead.
Is It Any Good?
This made-for-TV-style movie is neither as sexy nor as scary as it hopes to be, and it takes itself too seriously to provide campy fun. Brazen is set up as a vehicle for star Milano, but she isn't entirely believable as a best-selling author and crime-cracker grieving her sister's death. You just know from the opening scene she's going to end up playing the dominatrix before the end credits roll (the action builds toward this). The film suffers from unnatural dialogues, overly-deliberate reactions, abrupt musical interludes, and a tale that boils down to a suspect with mommy issues. Other elements with potential are left underdeveloped, like the DC political players, the bitter ex-husband, and even the central love story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of a mystery writer helping to solve real-life crimes, as Grace does in Brazen. Do you think that actually happens? Why or why not?
The women who perform for Fantasy, Inc. have families and day jobs. Why do you think they engage in this part-time work? Does it have risks? The men who are their followers all seem to want to hide or deny their involvement. Why?
Alyssa Milano got her start acting as a child. Where could you go for more information about her career? What other child actors have continued to have careers into adulthood?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 13, 2022
- Cast: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
- Director: Monika Mitchell
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Thriller
- Topics: Book Characters
- Run time: 96 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 28, 2022
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