Harry Brown
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: April 30, 2010
6.9
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 81 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
51
Mixed:
24
Negative:
6
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
10
DaveJ.May 3, 2010
I really enjoyed this movie. Michael Caine is great! Go see it!
4 of 4 users found this helpful
9
psychprofessorSep 6, 2010
This is Michael Caine at his finest. If you like vigilante movies, you'll love this one. It's dark and violent, so be prepared. Good acting throughout.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
rustyjudasSep 23, 2013
Harry Brown is a sick film innit?

Michael Caine plays the titular character Harry Brown a disgruntled O.A.P. widower who after hearing the news of his friends death at the hands of local thugs takes matters into his own hands. The backHarry Brown is a sick film innit?

Michael Caine plays the titular character Harry Brown a disgruntled O.A.P. widower who after hearing the news of his friends death at the hands of local thugs takes matters into his own hands.

The back story informs the audience that Harry was in the marines and stationed in Northern Ireland during the troubles. This handles the notion that Harry Brown can be adept w/ a weapon and be able to kill.

He lives alone and keeps a picture of his wife and deceased child by his bedside and his loneliness and isolation is represented by his hand on the pillow where his wife would lay if she was alive.

In fact Harry misses the last minutes of his wife's life as he had to circumvent the subway en route to the hospital due to the presence of local thugs.

To make matters worse these local thugs are also harassing his best friend who he plays chess w/ in the local dingy pub. Ultimately this will result in his friends death and result in Harry's switch to vigilantism.

The film is directed by newcomer Daniel Barber who had previously directed some award winning short. The film has a gritty realism which includes hand-held shots. Some of the exterior shots are lovely evoking the feel of Loach, Leigh etc

However the interior shots are a lot more clichéd and shot in desaturated colours of brown and green etc they work well in the normal environments but the drug den for instance is overkill on the cliché. Ultimately the style is to look as grimy and mundane and atypical of an urban lifestyle.

Michael Caine gives the lead character gravitas and a world weariness which makes his descent into brutal revenge that little bit more convincing despite some of the ludicrous set pieces.

The film is excessively violent and might actually deter the audience it is aimed at which is the type of person who reads The Daily Mail and exclaims how the world has gone to pot and how something must be done but not doing anything themselves. In that respect it has become a wish-fulfilment movie and exploitation movie for the kitchen table newspaper reader.

No problems with that but there have been recent movies such as Gran Torino and Dead Man's Shoes which deal w/ the idea of vigilantism, turf war and the nature of revenge in a more stylish and thoughtful manner. This is more like Death Wish in its approach.

The fact that Harry brown isn't made accountable for his actions no matter how justified the audience feels is a tiny bit suspect on the writers approach.

Overall an entertaining movie which is well shot if unoriginal and can often delve into ludicrousness especially in its depiction of violence which almost tapers towards the Tarantinoesque.

The film doesn't explain the causes or symptoms of gang infested tenements but it's kind of implied that poverty, drugs (footage of some crack pipe action) and negligent parents (Plan B's mother is ineffective and defensive of her son's actions) are all factors in this cycle of crime.

One last thing Plan B is excellent he plays an obnoxious chav w/ relish and his affectionless psychopathy is pretty nauseating. I didn't realise it was him until I saw the end credits.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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1
metagirlMay 2, 2010
Extremely violent. With a weak plot and a unrealistic ending. Is this the best we can get from Michael Caine??
1 of 4 users found this helpful
1
CharlottePApr 13, 2011
Disappointing, outlandish and barely credible, this formless film hinges on an unlikely and morally suspect "Broken Britain" theme, where plucky old men have no choice but to fight back against local toughs in the only language theyDisappointing, outlandish and barely credible, this formless film hinges on an unlikely and morally suspect "Broken Britain" theme, where plucky old men have no choice but to fight back against local toughs in the only language they understand - extreme violence with guns. Emily Mortimer never fails to annoy but here she's also poorly cast as a police detective whose sheer helplessness and apathetic limpness is infuriating. Michael Caine should really know better, but given that he recently endorsed David Cameron, he clearly doesn't. The effect is unremittingly bleak and depressing, without having any redemptive qualities, and certainly without coming across as representing any kind of true vision of Britain. It sounds trivial, but the fundamental procedural mistakes made by Mortimer's character finally torpedo the entire sorry exercise.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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8
MattM.Apr 30, 2010
Greatly gritty and rough, with a great Micheal Caine. A must-see.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
qwertyMay 3, 2010
Michael Caine has still got it! Definitely worth a look.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
robsterSep 10, 2010
The film is very reminiscent to myself of Gran Torino (and that can only be a good thing). It's mood and colour palette are both very dark in nature and It's tough and gritty viewing without the sprinkling of fake-dom that Hollywood can doesThe film is very reminiscent to myself of Gran Torino (and that can only be a good thing). It's mood and colour palette are both very dark in nature and It's tough and gritty viewing without the sprinkling of fake-dom that Hollywood can does provide from US based films with their soft lens focus to life and their characters. The film is a canvas of life today in some parts of the UK, with feral teenagers on the loose, and general problems that exist in inner cities in the UK today. The film takes a while to "get going", and seems almost sloth like until events turn Harry Brown into something more than an old codger. The acting is fab' throughout and worth a watch purely to watch Michael Caine and Harry Brown. I would wholeheartedly recommend this film. The film is worthy to be checked out and in your DVD/blu-ray collection as it is mine. Don't be put off by negative reviews, you will not be disappointed, I wasn't.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
scarforce01Oct 1, 2010
I don't expect everyone will like this movie and that's fine.because of its hard edged close-to-the-bone presentation. I however enjoyed it. I say enjoy what i mean is it was a very well presented and acted drama that shocks you to the coreI don't expect everyone will like this movie and that's fine.because of its hard edged close-to-the-bone presentation. I however enjoyed it. I say enjoy what i mean is it was a very well presented and acted drama that shocks you to the core in the first few minutes as we see a young teenager forced into smoking a bong and then beaten up for what we can assume is his initiation into the gang. We then see a view from a phone camera of two teenagers riding a motorbike, firing a few shots from a handgun into a woman pushing a pram. She immediately dies and the two teens flee the scene on their motorbike only to be hit by a truck and killed. If you don't enjoy being confronted you should either turn off the movie then or walk out of the cinema because you won't enjoy this film.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
JamesNWAOct 11, 2010
A great British film with some good acting, especially from Michael Caine. He plays his role well and in ways invites the audience to sympathise with him.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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9
TuretelNov 25, 2010
A great movie with Michael Caine playing a role that one would not immediately expect to see him serving in which only helps to make the movie that much stronger. Wonderfully dark and gritty, something to recommend to anyone who enjoys such movies.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
rotkuMay 29, 2011
Although Michael Caine buts in a fantastic performance the rest of the movie does not live up to this standard. I expected a 'Death Wish' type vigilante movie instead the revenge is very tame and predictable. With a little more imaginationAlthough Michael Caine buts in a fantastic performance the rest of the movie does not live up to this standard. I expected a 'Death Wish' type vigilante movie instead the revenge is very tame and predictable. With a little more imagination and better support casting this could have become a very clever movie but sadly it didn't.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
GamerssonSep 10, 2011
Awesome movie! It handles the problems of modern times, like drugs, violent in streets and how innocent people suffer from the crimes of bastards. Michael Caine's cold charisma makes this even better.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
mitchj97Aug 29, 2011
Excellent film, with a strong, interesting plot of the film with realistic features of the film. This film has great acting by Michael Caine and is defiantly a stimulating thriller worth watching.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
StevenFOct 7, 2013
Here we have a film that shares similarities with the excellent 'Gran Torino' where we seen Clint Eastwood take a stand against the thugs and random acts of violence in his town, Michael Caine is the focused and emotional pensioner in thisHere we have a film that shares similarities with the excellent 'Gran Torino' where we seen Clint Eastwood take a stand against the thugs and random acts of violence in his town, Michael Caine is the focused and emotional pensioner in this film who takes the law into his own hands after it fails the one friend he had, he is Harry Brown, and he now wants to put a stop to the hooded youths who terrorise his estate. The admirable aspect of Caines performance is his ability to control his character throughout the film, he doesn't conform to a bloodthirsty animal seeking justice, he shows his age but uses it to his advantage to cut a more rugged and emotionally-driven man, Caine never acts out or completely changes what is or isn't moral, he simply has bottled up fear and anger which now surfaces in mighty swoosh, he has stood by too long and watched as many of his neighbours are beaten, harassed and sometimes murdered by the violent criminals who have taken over, his friend makes the mistake of confronting these people and ends up losing his life, but the last straw for Harry is when the case against those who are believed to have committed the crime, nay get away with a manslaughter charge instead of murder because of the weapon Harry's friend, Len (David Bradley) was carrying. The film takes a smart and character driven approach as Harry is an easily approachable man who seemingly just wants a quiet life to grieve for his wife, but the gang, led by actor/rapper Ben Drew/Plan B will not let anyone rest, this involves some very graphic content throughout the film, at its highest effectiveness when shown as a form of mobile phone footage. A scene where he attempts to buy a gun from two crazed drug dealers, where he sees a helpless woman off her head, we then see the ex-marine that we have heard about throughout the film. On the tail of Harry is detective Frampton (Emily Mortimer) who feels sympathy and cuts a very weary and fed up individual, but she won't let a vigilante do her job for her. She can see who may be responsible but can't do much about it at that moment. We then see a third act unfold which takes a realistic approach, the police get involved which erupts into a messy riot, but this has relatable tendencies and doesn't turn into a blockbuster showdown, the film keeps playing its cards close to the chest right until the credits role, we get a good sense if closure but not that of complete eradication, this highlights the real problem of crime, dramatised in the film for effect of course, but outlines a real problem of always being scared.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
Tss5078Jun 15, 2015
When an actor has had a career that spans six decades and includes hundreds of films, it's hard to choose a defining role. Even if you can choose just one performance, it's usual from way back when they were in their prime, but at seventy-sixWhen an actor has had a career that spans six decades and includes hundreds of films, it's hard to choose a defining role. Even if you can choose just one performance, it's usual from way back when they were in their prime, but at seventy-six years old, Michael Caine proves that some things are just better with age. Caine is portraying Harry Brown, an lonely old man, who has recently lost his wife. All Brown has left is his best friend and a tiny apartment, but that changes when a group of thugs start reeking havoc on the neighborhood and slaughter his best friend. After that, something in Brown just snaps, and he turns to skills he learned in the army a lifetime ago. This isn't a film about some over the hill action star in the CIA, there is no weird twist, or strange background associated with Harry Brown. He is just a real person, dealing with a situation that people have to face every day in lower income neighborhoods. The gangs have taken over and no one is safe, especially the elderly, and that is very apparent in this film. Harry Brown is an action thriller, but it is also one of the realist movies I have ever seen. Every thing from the gangs activity to the way Harry goes about is life is as real as it gets, and it is truly frighting. Michael Caine stars and he doesn't have the moves, temperament, or even style of your typical action hero, yet somehow he's better than all of them combined. For Caine it's never been about brawn, it's about brains, and that's what he uses against a gang that's a third of his age. Critics raved about this film, while I avoided it, because I honestly couldn't see Michael Caine cleaning up his neighborhood and taking out thugs at his age. I was wrong, because Harry Brown is one of the best performances of his career. This film is just so realistic and clever, I never would have expected it to be the amazing experience that it was. This film really got to me and it includes one of the best performances I've ever seen. Harry Brown is a true gem of independent cinema, it is free of any Hollywood bull **** and it is the reason people still go to the movies. Please take my advice and don't miss this one.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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8
NikoZguri1997Jul 18, 2014
'Harry Brown' clearly isn't for everybody. the violence may be a little too much for a few people. but, for what it stands for, this is probably one of the best British vigilante thrillers in a long time. this movie has a really great'Harry Brown' clearly isn't for everybody. the violence may be a little too much for a few people. but, for what it stands for, this is probably one of the best British vigilante thrillers in a long time. this movie has a really great emotional and physical punch to it that can really affect you. and Michael Caine never fails to bring a great performance to the big screen. this guy was amazing as Harry Brown! it was so realistic that it really hit me inside.… Expand
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4
millerfilmMar 7, 2018
Unpleasant, unnecessary, and just plain depressing. Michael Caine is certainly a good actor. But, there really is no reason that this "Death Wish" version needs to exist.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
Dragonfly44Jan 26, 2019
Harry Brown is gruesome and well acted with a particulary awesome opening scene but unfortunately just feels like it has no real purpose.

Rating - 65%
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
JLuis_001Oct 15, 2017
I'm surprised of how violent this film was, even though that's pretty much all it has but I was even more shocked watching Michael Caine - who was 77 when this film was released - leading this story with such strenght.

The movie wasn'tI'm surprised of how violent this film was, even though that's pretty much all it has but I was even more shocked watching Michael Caine - who was 77 when this film was released - leading this story with such strenght.

The movie wasn't really that good but his performance is a good enough reason to give it a go.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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7
DawdlingPoetNov 24, 2021
This is quite a dark (gritty) British crime drama film. It is inevitably rather bleak and thus grim in tone but I thought it was quite good, in terms of the character development relating to the titular character and the themes covered. IThis is quite a dark (gritty) British crime drama film. It is inevitably rather bleak and thus grim in tone but I thought it was quite good, in terms of the character development relating to the titular character and the themes covered. I have no doubt that a large number of older people living in the London area feel frustrated and annoyed with the anti-social (at best) criminal behaviour of gangs of youths and given what happened to people he held dear, I felt quite angry on his behalf and concerned for what may ultimately happen, which is a sign of a decent film when you can connect in one way or another to the main character. Michael Caine plays the main role and he did so well I thought. I found myself feeling irritated by the response the police gave, the lack of action by the authorities. I'm not one who is generally pro vigiliantism but I did feel I could somewhat understand where the titular character was coming from and this helped me feel more engrossed in the film. Of course this is an 18 rated film and so there's a fair bit of bloody violence and lots of very strong language, plus one or two short clips featuring pornography and drug related scenes. I did feel that perhaps, towards the end, things (plot wise) went a little too over the top but otherwise its a decent watch. Overall I felt this was quite a well written and acted film and I would recommend it, yes.… Expand
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