Harry Brown (2009)

Harry Brown (2009)

Directed by: Daniel Barber
Screenplay by: Gary Young

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
Running Time: 103 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Viewed: Rental DVD - Family Video

Every man has a breaking point.

[IMDb]

Comments: By default, I think everyone is reminded of Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino when looking at Harry Brown from the outside. But now that I've seen the film, I realized it's nothing like Gran Torino, with the exception that the main star is an old guy that's had enough with the ever-shittier world around him. Harry Brown is really reminiscent of a few '70s exploitation films, and I was reminded of Death Wish a few times throughout. It's a gritty, visceral experience that I enjoyed a hell of a lot more than I thought I was going to originally. There's several parts of the film that just feel dirty; the look of the film combined with the great score really make you feel like you are in this shithole that Harry Brown inhabits. The semi-'twist' at the end left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth, but it did serve as a decent way to wrap up the film. Overall, however, Harry Brown is dark film that really met my expectations and exceeded them at times. Another solid recommendation.