Harry Brown Film Review ****

I was lucky enough to get hold of some premiere tickets for the debut film from director Daniel Barber but the glitz and glamour of the red carpet was a stark contrast to the content of the gritty British thriller. The film was introduced by the director of Lionsgate, producer of the film, director and cast all stating how realistic the film was and they weren’t wrong to a certain extent. They clearly highlighted how corrupted the minds of some of our youth society have become. The film is an amazing triumph for British cinema, when watching it at Odeon Leicester Square it was hard to believe that it was only a low budget independent release. I felt like I was about to watch an American studio production and after watching the trailer you will see what I mean.



The film follows Michael Caine’s character Harry Brown, who lives alone in a council estate off Walworth Road in Elephant and Castle. His wife is ill in hospital living off a life support machine, no longer recognising her own husband when he comes to visit. His wife passes away and the only other person who Harry has in his life is his best friend Leonard. Leonard is living scared, he is tormented by a group of hoodies who hang around a subway outside his flat terrorising him. One day Leonard approaches the hoodies to confront them but is murdered in the process, leaving Harry alone and broken. As the police say they are unable to convict the people responsible, Harry takes matters into his own hands and goes on a roaring rampage of revenge.

The film is a must see but it is hard to watch. Where as in films like Reservoir Dogs, the characters are criminals but likable at the same time, their violent acts have motivation for a goal and can sometimes have ironic effect. In Harry Brown each character is just as sickening as the previous one and watching them live in the environment they do disgusts the viewer even further. There is no remorse for any of the acts of violence in the film and this was the director's intention. He wanted to show how nasty our society has become and how acts of violence are often unmotivated and committed purely for entertainment.

Daniel Barber plays around well with the framing, for example we see Harry look through the curtain of his flat window, looking down observing the crime going on outside many times but doing nothing. These are the same traits that many people in society do, watching crime but not reporting it. These voyeuristic qualities are reflected in the viewer of the film as Harry is looking through the curtains of the window, we are looking through the curtains of the cinema screen with the screen being our frame. Each time Harry steps out of the flat to actively do something, the framing changes thus creating a gripping story.

The performances are probably the stand out feature of this film. Although Michael Caine is the name that will draw people in to see the film at the cinemas, you will be astounded by some of the supporting performances. Sean Harris who starred in The Red Riding Trilogy earlier this year gives an outstanding performance as one of the most horrifying characters I have ever seen on screen. Whilst injecting himself with heroin he stays conscious and threatening towards Harry. I don’t want to spoil too much but its one of the best supporting roles I’ve seen so far this year. Caine’s performance is solid and holds the film strongly together, it feels weird seeing Caine playing a retired Second World War veteran of poor health rather than the healthy, full of life character that he is usually cast as. Seeing an old age pensioner kicking arse is a must watch and seeing Caine do it makes you wonder what would have happened to Carter if he retired.

The film is a must watch for fans of the thriller genre but this film is definitely not for the faint-hearted. The opening scenes before Harry Brown reacts to his friends death are heart wrenching and made a couple of eyes weep. Whilst in the later part of the film the audience were jumping out of their seats as gun shots blew across the screen. The film is gritty and shows the lowest of the low of characters on one side, the oblivious police force on the other (focusing on new schemes with silly names rather than what’s really going on) and the victims including Harry Brown in the middle. Due to the lack of normal characters going about their day to day life, the film isolates Harry Brown and makes him a loan vigilante. For this reason it loses the element of realism but makes the film more powerful and unsettling as it focuses on the nasty characters in our society. If you enjoyed Gran Torino, Taxi Driver, Reservoir Dogs and Get Carter, Harry Brown will not disappoint you.