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Harry Brown (2009) -- An elderly ex-serviceman and widower looks to avenge his best friend's murder by doling out his own form of justice.
Harry Brown (2009) -- Trailer for this vigilante tale starring Michael Caine

Overview

User Rating:
8.0/10   832 votes
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Director:
Writer:
Gary Young (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Harry Brown on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
11 November 2009 (UK) more
Genre:
Plot:
An elderly ex-serviceman and widower looks to avenge his best friend's murder by doling out his own form of justice. | add synopsis
User Comments:
Michael Caine still has the class to carry a film. more (28 total)

Cast

  (Credited 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
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Additional Details

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

Movie Connections:
References Blade Runner (1982) more

FAQ

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11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful.
Michael Caine still has the class to carry a film., 14 November 2009
7/10
Author: RedRoadster from London, England

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.

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Message Boards

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Where was Iain Glen (Childs) alanr6939
The scene that disturbed me the most. (Spoiler) judge_pickles42
Totally Unreal Depiction of the Police thewood
Noel Bill_Buchanan
Question (spoilers) andrew-ward-minter
chavs haydon_9
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