An elderly ex-serviceman and widower looks to avenge his best
friend's murder by doling out his own form of justice.
Director:
Daniel BarberWriter:
Gary Young (screenplay)Stars:
Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, David Bradley |See full cast and crew »
Storyline : In England, retired Royal Marine Harry Brown spends his lonely life between the hospital, where his beloved wife Kath is terminally ill, and playing chess with his only friend Leonard Attwell in the Barge pub owned by Sid Rourke. After the death of Kath, Len tells his grieving friend that the local gang is harassing him and he is carrying an old bayonet for self-defense; the widower suggests him to go to the police. When Len is beaten, then stabbed to death in an underground passage, Inspector Alice Frampton and her partner Sergeant Terry Hicock are sent to investigate. They pay Harry a visit but don't have good news; the police have not found any other evidence, other than the bayonet, in order to arrest the hoodlums. This mean that should the case go to trial the gang would claim self-defense. Harry Brown sees that justice will not be granted and decides to take matters into his own hands. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
User Reviews :
It will be said by many that this is predictable and shallow on plot or sub-plot and this would be true.
What this film does, however, is take Grand Torino and turn it into the film it should have been, could have been, ought to have been.
This is no Death Wish movie. It is the story of a man driven to the absolute end of his tether by events. You can feel the emotion in Caine's performance, something that I would say is lacking in many of his performances, and is therefore lifted. This is not Rambo or Commando, where a retired army dude ripped to the hilt dons his gear one last time. It is an old man doing what can be done and surprising himself, I think.
It is a dark film supported by a very well acted cast. The gang members feel real. One or two unanswered questions which you would expect but overall a great effort.
What this film does, however, is take Grand Torino and turn it into the film it should have been, could have been, ought to have been.
This is no Death Wish movie. It is the story of a man driven to the absolute end of his tether by events. You can feel the emotion in Caine's performance, something that I would say is lacking in many of his performances, and is therefore lifted. This is not Rambo or Commando, where a retired army dude ripped to the hilt dons his gear one last time. It is an old man doing what can be done and surprising himself, I think.
It is a dark film supported by a very well acted cast. The gang members feel real. One or two unanswered questions which you would expect but overall a great effort.
