Review of Bronson (2009) by Karel D — 13 Jul 2013

As charming as it is heinous, Bronson chronicles the crimes of Britain's most violent prisoner, Michael Gordon Peterson, aka "Charlie" Bronson. The narrative is far more biographical than it is structural, but Tom Hardy's performance demands attention, and carries the entire 93 minutes without the need of any other talent. I have to agree with the review that calls this film "A Clockwork Orange for the 21st century"; Bronson is the tale of an off-the-wall antihero who has no need for a true adversary, as he is his own worst enemy... and embraces it joyfully.

The film doesn't have much as far as story, as it depicts real life events chronologically, but it is simply bursting with personality. The portrait of Bronson's insanity is crafted vividly, with no shortage of wild imagination. Hardy does well to convince us that a life without violence is not a life at all, using Bronson's own twisted sense of dark humor. The authority figures desperately attempt to place Bronson, either by tinkering with his mind in an attempt to assimilate him with society, or by beating him senseless to keep him off his feet. It is always fascinating to be given a glimpse into the mind of a non-conformant, and while not ground-breaking, Bronson is undeniably entertaining.