Tom Reviews "Harry Brown"

Tom's Corner:

Harry Brown
(2009, Daniel Barber, dir)

Michael Caine can do almost anything. Having seen enough of his work, I am convinced of this. I just watched Harry Brown, and I gotta say, see this movie. Here's why.

Caine plays our title character, a pensioner and Northern Ireland veteran who just wants to live out his remaining years peacefully, going to the pub to meet his friend Leonard (David Atwell, best known here in the States as Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films). The only problem in his life is the local gang led by Noel Winters (Ben Drew), who constantly steal, harass locals and sell drugs. Harry is the type to ignore the problems, as they don't affect him, but Leonard is scared, and arms himself. After he is killed, Harry realizes that the little shits are a neighborhood problem, and since the cops can't do anything, it's time to go Charles Bronson on their collective ass.

Watching Caine, as Harry, methodically take down the little punks is nothing short of enrapturing. He sets them up, and lets them, through their own stupidity, meet the ends they richly deserve. Caine just plays the part to perfection, making us a little scared of him in the midst of it. But we root for him and against the clueless cops throughout, and no matter how far he goes, you get the feeling that the gang deserves what they get.

Remember before I said Michael Caine could do almost anything? Well, the one thing he can't do is make a bad movie.

- Tom