Harry Brown (2009)

Director:

Daniel Barber

Writer:

Gary Young (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 November 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Thriller

Plot:

An elderly ex-serviceman and widower looks to avenge his best friend's murder by doling out his own form of justice. |

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Widower | Council Estate | Drug Dealer | Police Raid

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Harry Brown
Emily Mortimer	...	Frampton
Iain Glen	...	Childs
Ben Drew	...	Noel
Liam Cunningham	...	Sid
Jack O'Connell	...	Marky
Raza Jaffrey	...	Father Bracken
Joseph Gilgun	...	Kenny
David Bradley	...	Leonard
Charlie Creed-Miles	...	Hickock
Sean Harris	...	Stretch
Chris Wilson	...	Daniel Ladlow Assistant Chief Constable
Amy Steel	...	Nurse
Lee Oakes	...	Dean
Forbes KB	...	Troy
Klariza Clayton	...	Sharon
Ashley George	...	Boy In Flat
Orla O'Rourke	...	Nurse
Tony Massiah	...	Gang Member
Grace Vallorani	...	Linda
Jamal Downey	...	Carl
Claire Hackett	...	Jean winters
Radoslaw Kaim	...	Doctor
Amy Edge	...	Girl In Flat
Lee Edgar
Liz Daniels	...	Kath
Martin Heathcote	...	Arresting police officer
Abu Sayed Mukid	...	Front Line Rioter
Lauretta Gavin	...	Neighbour's wife
Marva Alexander	...	Nurse
Robert Styles	...	Journalist
Ashley McGuire	...	Community wpc
Karl Rhodes	...	CID Officer

Runtime:

103 min | Canada:97 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:18 | Canada:18A | Ireland:18

Company:

Marv Films

Movie Connections:

References Blade Runner (1982)

Michael Caine still has the class to carry a film.

Daniel Barbers disturbing vision of life on a South London Council estate was filmed in and around the Elephant and castle where leading man Michael Caine actually spent his formative years.

As the film's protagonist, the titular "Harry Brown" Caine plays a retired ex-marine who loses his wife to illness in the opening stage of the film. Clinging to his old moral values, disciplined and always wearing a tie, he is an example of the post war generation who are becoming fewer and fewer on the estate. His only enjoyment seems to be having a drink and a game of chess in his local pub with his friend Leonard. When Leonard reacts to the increasing violence on the estate by confronting the gang responsible, he is brutally murdered. Harry is informed by the police of this incident and it hurts him terribly, telling the police that they are powerless to do anything about it. Slowly and almost imperceptibly, Harry snaps and decides that he is going to sort it out the old fashioned way.

It is obvious that this film owes much to Michael Winners "Death Wish" (1974) but this story is so much more bleak and depressing. The young actors who play the gang members are so realistic that they are uncomfortable to watch. The story shows you failings in society at every level and a police division run by a superintendent who is comfortable to put up token resistance and little else. Harry Brown does what most people would like to do deep down inside and take the fight to the criminals.

Michael Caine does a great job of getting the best out of a poor script that doesn't give enough dialogue to flesh out the characters properly. He makes the transition from pensioner to vigilante credibly and without becoming a totally different character. The limited sets add an effective touch of claustrophobia but I found the unrelenting depictions of sleaze and urban decay a bit tough to take. There are some very uncomfortable scenes of drug use and violence also, particularly the climactic shoot out in the pub. The supporting cast are competent enough with Ben Drew standing out in his role as the particularly nasty young scum bag "Noel" . Emily Mortimer as DI Frampton is fairly inert and has only one facial expression and a vague attitude throughout the whole film which puts you off feeling much for her character.

"Harry Brown" is not a pleasant film to watch, but it is certainly an experience which will pull on every one of your your emotions and is impossible to ignore.