Harry Brown

In Hollywood it is very common to get two or more very similarly themed and plotted films coming out at the same time. We now get an English film that is similar to the American film 'Gran Torino'.

We've got so many of the older action heroes returning to films these days. We are now getting films with even older heroes. However the older ones are only getting revenge and defending their neighbourhood. I've seen a few TV series and movies that are set in large apartment complexes called estates. These must be terrible places to live based on the way they are portrayed. I don't think I've seen a positive film from one of these places. And this film does not help put them in a glowing light. If anything it makes them seem like hell. 'Gran Torino' is a G rated Disney film compared to the devastating harshness displayed in this film. It is quite hard going and some scenes are very hard to watch. Especially the scene where Harry visits a couple of drug dealers to buy a gun. It was very difficult to watch and makes you think how some people let their lives get to that stage. The other guys that Harry is up against are very hard core and makes you think why he would do what he does. I did however see a few ways for him to get rid of these bad guys in a much safer way. But then again the film would have been a lot shorter if he had succeeded.

Much like Clint Eastood, Michael Caine is proving that age cannot weary them. Michael has taken his revenge on people a few times before so it is nothing new. This film however is different as because of his age, Harry is a more frail character and so when he does enact his revenge it is all the better. While his military background would help its still great. Emily Mortiner is an excellent actress and plays a nice role here as the cop who suspects Harry's true motives. She plays a character who is a lot tougher here than we normally see her playing. Sean Harris as the drug dealer who Harry gets his gun off is brilliant. As mentioned that scene is so incredibly hard to watch and made all the worse by Sean's unhinged and excellent performance.

Worth seeing for the brilliant Michael Caine but a hard film to watch. The reality of the story makes you feel a little depressed about society and seeing what can happen if we let things go.