Harry Brown (DVD)

Michael Caine is at it again. Whereas most actors of his age would content themselves either with a guest spot on Last of the Summer Wine or retirement, here he is once more taking the lead role in an incredibly violent drama, no less uncompromising than his turn in Get Carter 40 years ago.

Caine plays Harry Brown, a man who’s old as hell and just won’t take it anymore. A retired marine, Brown leads a grim council estate existence centred around visiting his sick wife in hospital or playing sombre games of chess with his old drinking buddy Leonard (Bradley). Yet when his wife dies and Leonard is murdered by local yobs, Brown takes it upon himself to tackle the youth crime problem which has completely overrun the estate. If the notion of a geriatric Taxi Driver sounds laughable, rest assured, it isn’t. From the opening scenes which depict drug abuse and a drive by shooting, all apparently filmed from a mobile phone, Daniel Barber’s film is expertly filmed and relentlessly bleak and hard hitting from the outset. Caine is superb and Emily Mortimer provides strong support as a sympathetic investigating police officer.

The problem is not so much the film itself as the tabloid newspaper type view of the world – a place awash with drug dealers, crack whores and malevolent hoodie wearing teens who can only be dealt with by violence - it effectively appears to endorse. As Caine makes clear in the entertaining audio commentary here, he considers this film a “wake up call” but as with his recent pronouncements about unemployed “layabouts” and confusion over which party is in power, his views here should perhaps be treated with caution. Despite these shortcomings, however, this remains a polished piece of work which had it been more nuanced, could well have achieved classic status.

Overall Verdict: Overly sensationalist and alarmist but stylishly filmed. And Sir Michael is as great value as ever.

Special Features:
Audio Commentary with Michael Caine, Director Daniel Barber and Producer Kris Thykier
Music Video
Cast and Crew Interviews

Reviewer: Chris Hallam