Minute44 - Dan Schonhaar

Directed by: Daniel Barber
Starring: Michael Caine, Ben Drew

Brutal vigilante thriller crosses the pond as Michael Caine stars as the titular Harry Brown, an elderly widower who takes the law into his own hands when his only friend is murdered by a gang of local thugs. As Harry journeys deeper into the seedy and violent criminal underworld he must find the inner strength to not only avenge his friend but also make it out alive, with his soul in tact.

Like a key in a lock, Harry Brown fills a gap in the existing mile-high stack of vigilante dramas. That gap being a lack of realism. The Brave One was too slick, Death Sentence was too Hollywood and the Boondock Saints was more surreal comedy than anything else. Not only is Harry Brown realistic (except for a bit at the end but I’ll get to that in a bit) it was also something else unique; an accurate representation of modern inner-city Britain through the eyes of the victims. The violence reeks of frivolity, just as it does in the real “endz”. Victims are chosen seemingly at random and life is worth less than nothing. Drugs and guns are not only available, they are dealt with complete disregard for who might notice. The looming threat of a violent reprisal is enough to stop anyone from breathing a word in protest.

Among all this we see Harry Brown. There is no two ways about it, this is an absolute tour de force for Michael Caine. Playing a vigilante is a difficult business; too soft and you look like a pushover, too hard and you’re just another criminal. Caine pulls this balance of with aplomb. His former royal marine character is so totally believable yet his calm demeanor when carrying out his violent brand of vigilante justice is completely natural and you get a hearty sense of the threat and fear his targets must feel.

Newbie director Daniel Barber allows his gritty up close and personal style envelop the film without compromise. Exreme close-ups set the scene in many shots that would have felt incomplete any other way. There is no sugar coating, not only in the plot or dialogue but also in the direction. Violent outbursts from villains or sudden gunshots will make you jump out of your seat because, as in real life, you don’t see them coming. There are no tension building strings in the score. Things just happen.

It is this superb realism that makes the film’s one small flaw seem a lot more major. I won’t go into the details because it’s sort of a twist that I don’t want to spoil, but a sudden turn of events and a revelation about the true nature of a character we trust throughout the film just feels too written. Too orchestrated and devoid of the menacing random fickleness of the antagonists, both tangible and intangible that built up the film to its slightly unfulfilling climax.

Even with that flaw, however, Harry Brown is a masterpiece. Not only for the cast, in which I failed to spot a single weak link, but for the director who, considering this is only his second film, has perfected his style and hit an absolute home run. Go and see this and enjoy what I believe is one of the best, if not the best, vigilante thriller ever made.

Verdict: