Rivaling Britain's own James Bond, Harry Brown is a force all his own. A vigilante of sorts, Brown is fed up with the escalating teen violence that has taken over the streets of his hometown. He has always been a modest, law abiding citizen, but when his good friend is brutally murdered and humiliated for no apparent reason, Brown hits his breaking point. From there, no street hustler is safe, as Brown will stop at nothing to seek revenge and rid the streets of the crap that congests it.
Daniel Barber does a brilliant job at bringing a new kind of hero to the forefront,- one that represents both age and history. His shot selection is addicting, though a bit predictable, and his willingness to push the envelope is admirable in nearly every facet. He compiles an amazing cast, using veterans Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer to not only sell the story, but make it exponentially better.
For Caine, there is no denying his smooth delivery and astonishing turn as our lead protagonist. His unfaltering performance makes us yearn for his safety, yet enjoying the out-of-character violence that the aging actor effortlessly exhibits. His eerie look while peering out of a broken window sent chills up my spine; though nothing could prepare me for the face-to-face encounter he shares with a pair of drug dealers. He is astonishing in every aspect, and I can't see the film being what it is without his involvement.
Mortimer wasn't quite as effective, though she dose work with fellow co-stars Charlie Creed-Miles and Ben Drew quite well. She represents the lone female presence in the film, and her ability to express emotion with the single look of an eye brings an added layer to the already complex film. I knew little about the feature before seeing it, and she was an unexpected pleasure to bear witness to.
As for the film's plotline and story, it does become a bit cliché around the midpoint. With a ruthless vigilante playing the shoot-now-ask-questions-later game, it is hard to imagine a happily-ever-after ending. But at the other end of the barrel, a confrontation creeps into the picture, giving the film a very slight imprint of uniqueness. It isn't anything amazing (in fact, they almost ruin it with the final good-vs-evil duel), but it ends just in time to warrant a mention.
All in all, Harry Brown is a film that excels on its performances. Michael Caine's ruthless take as an unexpected vigilante is nothing short of remarkable, and a solid group of supporting stars only add to his dramatizing effect. The violence in the film is a bit harsh, and should be handled with care. It takes a strong stomach to sit through any film with this subject matter, Daniel Barber's feature film debut requires a little more.
