Review of Harry Brown (2009) by Danny R — 04 Dec 2011

A gritty, absorbing well-crafted British crime drama set in modern day Britain, Harry Brown played by screen legend Sir Michael Caine in commanding and artfully controlled performance is a pensioner and ex-serviceman who is a modest law abiding citizen, he lives alone in the hellish London council estates which have been ravaged by drugs and crime, his only companion is his best friend Leonard, played nicely by David Bradley, when he is brutally murdered by some drug dealing low-life hoodlums it pushes Harry to the breaking point, Harry was a marine in Northern Ireland and his killing ways were put to rest along time ago but the murder of his friend has brought them back in full force, he becomes a merciless vigilante dispensing his own personal brand of justice and so he begins his campaign of deadly retribution against the hoodlums, Caine at age 77 brings his formidable acting skill and experience of over a half century into the role of Harry Brown, conflicted and sometimes frail other times emotionally unstable and aggressive, this is a real showcase for the old master and he completely dominates this engrossing motion picture.

Excellent directorial debut by Daniel Barber with solid supporting performances by Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-Miles, Ben Drew, Iain Glen, Sean Harris and Jack O' Connell, a most intriguing revenge thriller and one of year's very best films.

Highly Recommended.