Harry Brown

It's been a long fucking time since I lived near a shithole estate and regardless of what the media may portray they haven't changed that fucking much but even by todays standards the estate in Harry Brown is about as inviting as badger balls and chicken lips soup. I've spent quite a long time looking forward to Harry Brown and it was worth the fucking wait even if it wasn't what I was expecting at all. As the film begins we see Harry (Michael Caine) going through his rather mundane existence which includes visiting his dying wife in hospital and playing chess over a pint with his one friend Leonard. First time director Daniel Barber seems to want to remind us that as a nation we have forgotten our old people and he's fucking right but that's for another time.

It quickly transpires that Leonard is being tormented by a gang on the estate led by a rather nasty little fucker called Noel who's played by a fucking menacing Ben Drew (this boy as a future) and when he finally snaps and is beaten to death by the gang after confronting them its Harry who decides to get revenge. Harry Brown is no Death Wish though. This isn't just about a one man vigilante as ex-marine Harry goes fucking postal on the little fuckers asses, no this is so much more. If Brown and his fucking retarded cronies at Number 10 want a stark reminder of how things are going outside their ivory towers then they should watch this. Barber and writer Gary Young are saying so much more and it's only in the last twenty minutes or so where they lose it a little and struggle for a suitable ending.

As the body count rises and D.I Frampton (Emily Mortimer) starts to suspect Harry we're led through what can only be described as the dark and dirty underbelly of modern Britain. Heroin addicts are dirty desperate fuckers and gang members bored youths who are quickly caught up in the need to belong. There's a great riot scene as Police raid various houses on the estate but are bombarded with missiles (that's bricks and bottles you dumb fucks not Cruise). As the riot escalates the Police are made to retreat as they can do fuck all else when you're screaming for them to wade in and crack some fucking skulls but that's today isn't it? We side with the criminal and not the victim.

Caine puts in a performance which we've come to expect as he portrays a man pushed to the limit as he loses everything. If Barber is the future of British cinema then things are looking promising. Harry Brown is the first must see film of the Winter and for those expecting Charles Bronson you can forget it because he's not in this fucker. I was impressed with the young cast as I genuinely believed in what they were and glimpses into their shit backgrounds helps to convince. The cinema was full of OAPs so I asked myself at the end.. is this what the older generation are hoping for and is Harry Brown the first real OAP Cinematic hero. I for one fucking hope so.

A Reminder Of How Fucked We Are out of 5