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Harry Brown

Harry Brown

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In this British thriller, Sir Michael Caine plays Harry Brown, a modest, law-abiding widower who lives in a depressing council estate. When his best friend, Leonard, is murdered by a gang of thugs, Harry feels compelled to dispense his own brand of justice. As an ex-marine, he has the skills to do so, but his efforts bring him into conflict with the police force, including investigating officer DCI Frampton (Emily Mortimer).

Starring Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley, Iain Glen, Sean Harris

Directed by Daniel Barber (feature debut)

Written by Gary Young

Thriller, Drama, Crime | 1hr 43mins | Rated (R18) | Contains Violence, Offensive Language, Drug Use & Sex Scenes | Origin: UK | NZ Distributor: Hoyts Distribution

Flicks review

  • Ever-watchable, Michael Caine enriches damn near everything he appears in, and he elevates this grim vigilante-fest from pretty darn good to essential viewing. Not for the squeamish, Harry Brown is chilling from its kinetic and brutal opening frames right through to the increasingly explosive violence inflicted by both Brown and the truly horrible council estate scumbags he pits himself against.
     
    It’s not unfair to label Harry Brown a bit of a Death Wish knock-off (with a pinch of Gran Torino and Taxi Driver) but that would be overlooking a couple of important points. The first is the British setting and examination of kids there that, as in Eden Lake, are part of a hopeless generation spiralling out of control into violence and nihilism.

    The other is, of course, Caine. His performance is riveting enough when the film begins, as Harry Brown, doting husband and pensioner, but the deaths of both his wife and then best pal allow him to dig deep into a reservoir of emotion and produce something particularly compelling. And then comes the revenge.
     
    Never seeming an unlikely hero, despite his age, Caine proves an extremely competent vigilante and everything about the film is geared to make you cheer him on. Whether gun-toting pensioners are a real solution to Britain’s youth crime crisis, however, remains to be seen.

    By Steve Newall, Flicks.co.nz

 Our Rating       5

The Peoples voice

  • Gripping

     4

    Great movie. The subject matter doesn't lend itself to delivering pure happyness but that's real life and this is a thriller. It's an excellent movie so go to see Michael Caine at his best while you still can. A great performance that held my attention until the end and shows us what our communities must stand up to in a very real way. It's a shame we too seem to be leaving such messes to the English Dirty Harry Types to clean up. Excellent.

    By Mr G

  • This is cool

     4

    Michael Caine plays Harry Brown a old man turned vigilante when his mate Len gets murdered. This is a powerful performance from an actor who shows age is no barrier. He showed all the young actors out there how you play great characters on screen. Caine shows vunerabilty and a real cool calm violent streak that makes stand up and take notice. This performance by Caine will be remembered for years to come

    By Philip Moore

 Collective Voice    0000000000004.00

Your review has been posted, you have spoken, and for that we thank you. – Ed.

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Press Reviews

  • Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

    This movie plays better than perhaps it should. Directed as a debut by Daniel Barber, it places story and character above manufactured "thrills" and works better.
    Click to read the full review

  • Empire (UK)

    4 4 out of 5 stars

    Essential stuff, even by the big man’s considerable standards.
    Click to read the full review

  • Kiwi FM (John Henderson)

    "A study of urban decay... brilliantly shot."
    Click to read the full review

  • Los Angeles Times

    It's a strong directing debut for Barber, who uses the poignant power of Harry's experience to take a universal cut at decaying communities and the poverty of soul as well as pocket.
    Click to read the full review

  • New York Times

    Mr. Caine is one of the few reasons to sit through Harry Brown, an exercise in art-house exploitation directed by Daniel Barber and tarted up with self-importance and a generally striking visual design.
    Click to read the full review

  • NZ Herald (Peter Calder)

    3 3 out of 5 stars

    A nasty piece of work
    Click to read the full review

  • Total Film (UK)

    3 3 out of 5 stars

    The hero might be Brown, but Harry is black and white in its treatment of inner-city blight. When all the bullets are spent you’re left with the dubious aftertaste of exploitation, but Sir Michael’s charisma keeps you watching.
    Click to read the full review

  • Variety (USA)

    Bleak, gripping, sporadically exciting drama.
    Click to read the full review

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