Harry Brown

Harry Brown, played by Michael Caine, is an ex-marine drawing his pension and living in a run-down London council estate plagued by gangs, drugs and gun crime. His wife, who we never see conscious, dies early on in the film from natural causes and is closely followed by his only friend. His friend however, is murdered by the local gang when he confronts them, no longer able to silently withstand their campaign of harassment. With nothing left to live for it is this act that prompts Harry to embark on his mission of revenge, a quest which calls upon his dormant military instincts.

The obvious comparison to be made is with Gran Torino, something of a benchmark for vigilante pensioner films, though I found the two films provided different viewing experiences. Harry Brown was decidedly more harrowing; the violence of the gangs was shown from the off and was unrestrained. In addition it was done well; it was believable. This hits even harder with the film being set closer to home; the accents, locations and activities witnessed are worryingly familiar in comparison to the community of Clint Eastwood’s character.

This greater exposure to violence doesn’t take away from the build up in tension though and there are a couple of nerve-wracking scenes which place Harry out of his element. He is also given a fair bit of screen time by himself (he has no-one else to talk to), observing the gang and plotting his next move, all of which adds to the dark mood of the film. Caine plays the role excellently.

Another divergence from Gran Torino which adds to the brutality is the lack of an emotional human story. Harry’s personal relationships are ended early on and not explored in any depth, a contrast to the strained contact of Walt with his sons and grandchildren. Even more glaring is the omission of an equivalent story line of the relationship between Walt and the Korean boy he takes under his wing; a relationship which builds effectively and is central to the plot line of Gran Torino as well as providing the viewer with (occasionally light hearted) reprieves from the harsh day to day reality.

A hint of emotional resonance comes in the form of the female police inspector though in truth the role of the police in the film is underplayed and the characters not developed where perhaps there was potential (the demise of one cop near the end could have hit harder if we’d felt more of a connection with him). The scenes involving the police are generally more reminiscent of the bill than anything else, not being up to par with the rest of the film with the exception a series of interviews with local gang members and a failed raid that results in a riot near the film’s finale. This is a minor criticism, one that is easily made up for through the flawless Caine and the genuine shock value of the film (the director’s first attempt); both of which will make it very memorable viewing.

In summary, Gran Torino without the trimmings, Michael Caine in exquisite form, and a renewal of my vow to never move to London! 4 stars.