Review of Harry Brown (2009) by Hugh R — 07 Mar 2015

To call "Harry Brown" a "revenge flick" would be to do it a disservice. It does have shades of "Death Wish" and the original "Taken," but it is something more. There are underlying threads on the vulnerability of the common man, the ruthlessness of aging, and the ravages that time can bring upon relationships, society, and your very soul.

Harry Brown (Michael Caine) is a recent widower. He eats alone, takes walks alone, and lives alone in a ghetto called "The Estate," in London. The only social contact he has is with his friend Len at the local dive pub where they play chess every afternoon. The city around the two elderly men is deteriorating. Gangs have formed around a framework of violence and drugs, and people even avoid walking through the local underpass for fear of what will happen in the dark. Len confides that he is terrified every moment and has decided to take a stand since the authorities will not. Harry cautions him but will not help. His memories of the violence of combat during World War II are too raw, and he cannot dare to dredge those feelings back up. When the police arrive at Harry's apartment to reveal the murder of poor Len, Harry feigns ignorance and begins to plan revenge upon those who would prey on decent people.

And here we have the setting for a stereotypical revenge movie and all it entails. To be sure, there is violence and there is revenge, but Michael Caine and director Daniel Barber bring into this genre a fresh take. There is frailty in our hero emotionally, as well as physically. He is not the usual model-handsome rogue with three-day stubble who is a ninja as well as a computer expert. Harry can't even work a cell phone. All he has is a numbing readiness borne of long nights in dark places during the war and a determination brought about by the rightness of his cause. Michael Caine is both brittle and weak, as well as awe inspiringly strong, as he and the world around him seem not only plausible, but relatable to anyone who has experienced fear when walking alone. Here is a character that speaks to our hearts and minds as we contemplate the thought of growing older and the sadness of past glories never to be reclaimed. The memories of friends lost and the long, lonely nights to come.

Sadly, this movie may not find much of an audience in America. It is too foreign, too stark, and not nearly fast paced enough for the usual action movie crowd. I have to admit that I only heard about it because I happened upon it on the shelves of new releases and was intrigued by simply seeing what Michael Caine would do with such a role. This is a good movie and it deserves an audience. If you have the chance and want to see a different take on a usually cliché ridden genre, then give this one a go. You might be surprised at what you find.