(2009) In the estates of south London with graffiti-covered walls, where drug gangs freely ply their trade and commit random acts of violence, pensioner Harry Brown (Michael Caine), a former marine suffering from emphysema, has had enough. His wife Kath has just died after a long illness and been buried beside their daughter Rachel; his only mate, Leonard Attwell (David Bradley), another elderly pensioner, with whom he played chess and shared a pint in Sid Rourke's (Liam Cunningham) Barge Pub, has been killed in the subway.

The police - Detective Inspector Alice Frampton (Emily Mortimer) and Detective Sergeant Terry Hicock (Charlie Creed-Miles) - having informed Harry of his friend's death by assault, begin interrogating suspects, "a load of hoodies" - Noel Winters (Ben Drew), Carl, Marky, and Dean, each responding with their solicitor's advice, "No comment" - but have no firm evidence to hold them; in fact, the boys may have a defense that they were threatened by the old codger with a military bayonet.

Shortly afterward, Harry's confronted at night on the towpath by a mugger with a knife; turning the weapon on the drug-addled attacker, he gets rid of his own blood-stained clothing rather than report to the authorities. Next Harry goes to a drug dealer to purchase a gun, selecting a .38 Smith and Wesson, with which he immediately becomes a vigilante to perform alone what the police seem ineffectual at cleaning up.

Removed from the case by their superior, Superintendent Childs, who plans a massive crackdown on the gangs, Sgt Hicock says to DI Frampton: "Harry Brown's doing us a favor." As it turns out, more than one favor. In his feature-film directorial debut Daniel Barber paints a bloody picture from screenwriter Gary Young's paint-by-numbers script of fearful citizens harassed and terrorized by uncontrollable kids and their adult relations.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2010 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Patrick Ivers can be reached via e-mail at .