It's a revenge film, along the lines of Man on Fire and it's also a vigilante film like The Punisher mixed with the Death Wish movies and those films had many crazy moments, many could be seen as predictable, still enjoyed it and Foster's performance especially at the very end.
"I am the ultimate badass, you do not wanna *beep* wit me!"- Hudson in Aliens.

You bring up some good points. I think it's kind of unbelievable that all of those random acts of violence would take place. But the movie does make a point that she is going out in the middle of the night looking for the trouble.
On the other hand, even if one were looking for that kind of trouble- it's still very random that all of that would happen in modern day NYC. Maybe in 70s - 80s - early 90s NYC when it would've been a lot more dangerous to go roaming around at any hour.
I enjoyed the movie because I was willing to "suspend disbelief" to enjoy the movie. But maybe that's only because I'm a Foster fan and I wanted to see her run around and go crazy in a Death Wish/Dirty Harry kinda way!!!
The movie was a little ruined for me though because of the implausibility of it all. When she goes into the convenient store - you just know that it's going to get robbed because you've seen it happen in SO MANY movies!!! On the other hand- the guy yells to the clerk something about "not getting to see the kids" which makes it a more crime of passion.
But still- all the violent acts in this movie are totally random and there's a LOT of them!
I enjoyed it because I love Jodie Foster but the movie was pretty flawed!!!

The reason I thought this movie was moronic was because, as she gets attacked and the fiance gets killed, I find it unbelievable that ALL OF A SUDDEN she now becomes the subject of countless acts of random violence that threaten her life. I mean, how likely is it that you would be nearly beaten to death, then nearly shot to death in a store robbery and then put to knife point on a train? At this point, I changed the channel. Ughunbelievable plot
To each their ownopinion

The OP can't understand why Jody Foster took the role of Erica Bain. She simply was fascinated by the idea of a woman who must continue living although she doesn't really want to, a woman rebuilding her personality after the devastating act of violence that brought her former life toppling down. Erica Bain was originally written as a newspaper columnist and it was Jody who suggested making her a NPR type of radio personality instead, making her a person New Yorkers knew by voice. And I think Jodie made a good choice in taking this role.
Life, every now and then, behaves as though it had seen too many bad movies

Well, when you think about it, she's acting circles around everyone shes on the screen with, and in a movie like this it rises that much more to the surface and blows you away. In this sense, she's making her scratch and an indelible mark on Hollywood all in one fell swoop.

Yes, and she speaks fluid French as well. She seems choosy about her projects. She said in an interview that the main character in Flightplan was meant to be a male role but was switched to a female role when she did the movie.
I do admire her much:) She's not a publicity hog, and she seems to be the type of actress and person that can command attention and respect in Hollywood.
I've just begun to look at interviews of her on Youtube and I am very impressed by what I see. What a beautiful and intelligent woman. I do believe she is very talented and gifted and down-to-earth. If she is what middle age is all about bring it on!
The Truth is Out There

LOL. Jodie Foster is very talented. She's also intelligent enough to arrange her life to suit herself. With two Academy Awards, a degree from Yale, money in the bank, and two children, she does not have a reason to play the fame game. I respect her for being a woman of substance. There are enough middle-aged fame whores with bad plastic surgery in Hollywood. Foster is good-looking without abandoning taste or dignity.

At least she got her dog backbitches.

It's not her type of movie really.This is exactly what I think about Foster either.As an audience we watch and observe them.we start to judge their characters and create a profile in our minds.when they slip from what we are used to see them in their roles we start ro criticize.

Streep wouldn't be able to do this role as well as Foster. It's not her type of movie really. Who knows what motivates her only Jodie herself I suppose.
It's hard to measure fandom, my sister adores her.
Life is just one damned thing after another - Elbert Hubbard

After silence of the lambs something happened and she took different roles.You said she is too rich so why does she needs to sell herself ? To earn more money? I was expecting from her a meryl streep career.do you think streep would take a role like this in this movie as foster did? I guess she's making bad decisions.After her great movies she looks as if she just started acting and cinema career.
ps:I liked her movies and the characters.I am not sure how big fan I am but I am a foster fan.

Well if you're a big Jodie Foster fan ok. I like her a lot, including in this movie. If you feel she is selling herself short, then that is obviously a shame. Maybe the right role hasn't come along yet.
Life is just one damned thing after another - Elbert Hubbard

I used to see flame of exposed anger in her eyes with pale trembling look when she finds herself hurt in men's world.Her characters are strong characters.In this movie her character is so predictable that she does not fit into it.I liked her play hurt vulnerable woman characters who fights back and somehow she wins when she's already lost.

No it's not an awful movie, slightly unrealistic (as a lot of fiction is) but still very good. She's very good at the type of charachters she plays. Lots of actors play similar charachters, oh the hardship. I expect that it's some consolation that she's not in more demanding roles, that she has a multi-million dollar fortune, living in a mansion, off the back of work that requires you pretend to be someone else. If she can handle the 'torture' so can I.
Life is just one damned thing after another - Elbert Hubbard

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She's getting Oscar nominationsas she did for this film.
Dammit Carol Sue, where is the vodka?!

-1000 internet points for "haute cuisine".

And Ford wisely decided a few years ago to quit veering off course like that.
I think what I'm getting at about Foster is that rather than create new characters, she's created a brand: Tough, independent female [insert plotline here]. Lots of people like that brand, and that's fine. But just because Applebee's is tasty doesn't mean it's haute cuisine.
There, daddy, do I get a gold star?

I didn't say Foster is a bad actress. I said she is a limited actress. And a quick survey of her work shows that she pretty much confines herself to the same type of character, with a few subtle variations here and there.
There's nothing wrong with being a limited actor. Harrison Ford is a limited actor too. But he's managed to diversify just enough that his fan base is huge much bigger than Foster's, IMHO.
Agree with what you say, except for the part about Harrison Ford "diversifying." The few times he's ventured out of his stoic (I would say wooden) tough-guy roles, he's fallen flat on his face. He tried so hard to act in
Mosquito Coast
that it was painful to watch.

I'm going to have to disagree with you about the "Taxi Driver" role. Her character in that was a lost little girl, whose toughness was mostly a front. For example, when Travis tried to connect with her at that restaurant, she responded with negativity and called him "square" or something, if I remember right. She couldn't even leave her pimp on her own.

I am not a Foster connoisseur or expert. I based what I said on the films of hers I have seen.
Little Girl Who Lived Down the Lane: Tough, independent girl lives by herself.
Taxi Driver: Tough, independent adolescent female survives on the streets by herself.
The Accused: Tough, independent female survives brutal rape.
Silence of the Lambs: Tough, independent detective puzzles out serial killer.
Flightplan: Tough, independent single mom go on the warpath to find her daughter.
Panic Room: Tough, independent woman defends herself from male intruders.
The Brave One: Tough, independent woman turns vigilante.
Oh, and none of these roles require Foster to have a serious love interest.
I mean, come on. You can like the character type, but how many such films does a person really have to make, or a viewer have to watch, to get the point? I'm not just dumping on Foster either. The same could be said of John Wayne, another limited actor with an even bigger fan base.
There, daddy, do I get a gold star?

can you give some examples about her same type of characters? I understand "limited actress".Against this I can give one sample for instance her role in nell and in the accused are different, they are not the same characters.Especially her character in nell is very different from all others.