film review: harry brown

Revenge is indeed a dish best served cold in the new British film Harry Brown.

From first time director Daniel Barber, Harry Brown is set in Southern London, where juvenile crime is rapidly spiralling out of control. The film opens with documentary style footage to create a sense of realism, as a group of young thugs are seen shooting at – and eventually killing – a woman with a pram in broad daylight. This scene sets up the intense atmosphere that dominates the film.

Through grey cinematography we are introduced to the protagonist Harry Brown, an ex-marine and widower, whose daughter passed away at the age of thirteen. To establish his true sense of loneliness, the camera then focuses on the mundane acts he undertakes as he ties his shoelaces and butters his bread. This frail and isolated figure later develops into a strong-willed man who takes vengeance on the thugs that murdered his only friend, Len. He is later referred to as the “vigilante pensioner”.

One particularly memorable scene in the film occurs when Harry enters the home of two unstable drug dealers in the hopes of purchasing a gun. His courage and good morals are clearly demonstrated – he is disturbed by the unconscious woman who is being constantly injected with heroine and raped by the dealers.  In order to take her to the hospital, he stabs one of the men in the hand, and shoots the other, who ironically dies within his marijuana plants.

Michael Caine is perfect in the role and his facial expressions truly illustrate the depths of his lonely sole, and Emily Mortimer plays a determined, but kind-hearted detective convincingly.

The film concludes with an intense final struggle between Harry and his enemy, as the local youths are seen brutally rioting against the police, highlighting the film’s key theme of social discontent. It is a dark film, but a must see for those who enjoy an intense thriller.