Everytime Jodie Foster is in a movie, Oscarwatchers take note. The 14-year-old Academy Award nominee turned two-time Oscar winner at 29 brings an intensity to even her more commercial roles in film like Flightplan or Panic Room. When Foster teams up with Neil Jordon, the Academy Award winning writer/director of The Crying Game, you have a bona fide contender on your hands.

The Brave One follows Erica Bain (Foster) on her quest to find the people who murdered her fiance. Not since Nell has Foster had a textured, meaty role worth nominating, but in The Brave One, Foster plays a vigilante that she herself is already comparing to Travis Bickle. Yes, the Travis Bickle from the film that made her famous, Taxi Driver.Sh

Short of saying none of the other films already released this year legitimate contenders, The Brave One has the added bonus (or pressure?) of being the first Oscar release of the season (Sept. 14).

Top 8 Chances
Does Jodie have the film, the role and the Academy support to make it to the Kodak Theatre? That question will remain for at least two and a half more weeks. But sight unseen, Foster looks like a solid contender in the Best Actress race (especially if the category turns out to be as weak as I’m guessing it will be this year). If Foster makes it, don’t be surprised if she carries one of her costars along with her. (Terrence Howard?) Of course, Neil Jordan or the screenwriters could also go along for the ride in the director and original screenplay categories, respectively.

TheFilmChair.com 2007-2008 Oscar Charts

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