Following its release in 2009, Harry Brown has received somewhat mixed reviews - some claiming that the film's unrelenting grittiness provides it with a genuine sense of realism, while others argue that there's not a moral chord struck throughout its entire running time, downplaying any sense of reality it had achieved. And to be honest, both are entirely valid points. Harry Brown is a vigilante centered crime thriller that at times is terrifying, moving, and artistic, and will have you on the edge of your seat; but sadly, this is a film with flaws that can't be ignored. The title character of Harry Brown is played by the wonderful Michael Caine. Harry's days ...  Read the complete review

There's never been a really good vigilante film since Death Wish in the seventies where Charles Bronsan portrayed the rather unlucky Paul Kersey. Flash forward thirty odd years and we have a film that reflects today's society called Harry Brown. Set on an unnamed estate in London the main character, played Sir Michael Caine, starts to find himself in a situation where crying out for help is not enough. The plot is simple, a close friend of Harry Brown is being continually bullied by a gang on the estate, one night his friend called Leonard goes out with a Bayonet to deal with them and is murdered, Brown feels that no one is listening to him, it looks as though ...  Read the complete review

If you followed the career path of Michael Caine you might well wonder what happened, from being crowned the King of Cool in movies such as Get Carter, Alfie, and The Italian Job; Caine almost dropped out of the popular movie genre. During the 80's and 90's with the odd exception (Educating Rita, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The forth Protocol) his movies were generally bottom end stuff, most of his output in this time is available on super low budget DVD. For Caine however age made him turn a corner, and as the star tentatively spoke about a cameo in popular soap Eastenders, his movie career took of in ways he possibly never realised. With two Batman movies, Children Of ...  Read the complete review

Michael Caine's output over the past ten years or so has seen him choose the roles he wants to play, rather than ones that have bought him a new kidney shaped swimming pool in the back garden. Films like Sleuth, Batman Begins, Children of Men and the more recent Is Anybody There? have shown a different side to Caine, much more as the elder statesman of British films than the B-Movie star of 80's clunkers like Jaws The Revenge. Its good to see him now returning to hits roots in films like Harry Brown and putting himself in the hands of new directors like Daniel Barber who obviously wanted to make his own 'Get Carter' with the legendary actor. Harry Brown is a ...  Read the complete review

Having sat down to watch over 70 films starring Michael Caine, I've come to recognise all of his little mannerisms and quirks, from his brooding stare and Cockney accent to his ability to appear as if he's laughing when actually he's blubbering his eyes out. If a new film's out and Caine's the star or in support, I'm bound to go and see it, but "Harry Brown" passed me by for some reason and I only just got to watch it. "You failed to maintain your weapon, son." Widower Harry Brown (Michael Caine) is an aging pensioner on a gritty council estate, a locale inhabited by swarms of nefarious hooded youths dealing out pain ...  Read the complete review