So remember the other day when I posted the trailer for Harry Brown? Sure ya do! Anyway I was able to partake in watching it last night and am back with my review, ready? Well here goes.

Harry Brown follows Michael Caine as he lives his life in an area overrun by youth violence. Harry has lost everyone in the world with the exception of his equally old friend Leonard. The two meet at the pub and drink pints while playing chess, the kind of fun only old men can enjoy that is until Leonard has had enough with all the hoodies roaming the streets, causing violence, selling dope and just being plain Jersey Shore-ish. Leonard stands up for himself one day and ends up getting killed because of it. This makes Michael Caine Hulk out a bit and get all Bruce Wayne on everyone’s ass. That is a simple explanation of the plot of the flick…actually that is basically the plot without giving away all the fine details. It’s simple enough but a movie like this doesn't need any kind of game changing plot devices when you’ve got Michael Caine acting all bad-ass and man does he deliver.

"Wizards chess Alfred?"

I’ve always been under the impression that anyone who wasn’t a Michael Caine fan must surely be a Nazi or something equally as evil because honestly he is right up there with Eastwood as far as Icon’s go. Harry Brown lives and dies by Caine. When he’s on the screen it’s a blast but when he isn’t it becomes the same old same old, thankfully Caine is on screen at least 90 percent of the time. As far as the other actors go they all do their jobs, there aren't any phoned in performances but nor are there Oscar worthy ones. I enjoyed Leonard, Played by David Bradley (aka Filch from the Harry Potter flicks) but he knocked off way to early in the film. I would have liked to see some more back and forth between Harry and Leonard but the film barely hits and hour and forty minutes so I guess we couldn't have any additional character moments for poor Leonard.

B-A-D-A-S-S

Throughout the film there are several memorable moments including an opening scene that is quite fascinating in how brutal it is, it really sets the pace for whats to come and thats not the end of the violence, make no mistake this is a hard R. Stabbings, Shootings, Drugs, F-Bombs we get it all in this one. When some punk is committing a crime you get pissed and want them to get theirs and when the time finally comes and Brown gets with the revenge you cheer (including an awesome scene in drug dealers lair). The cinematography is on par with other gritty films such as this, things are familiar but never boring.

I did enjoy Harry Brown just not as much as I would have liked, I think I really hyped it up in my head to being Caine’s best performance ever without having seen it. It is a memorable character but Harry Brown doesn’t really hold a candle to some of his more memorable roles such as Alfie, Alfred Jasper, etc… Having said that I could not see anyone else pulling off the role of an aging vigilante as well, anyone else and I’m probably not writing this review right now. At the end of the day Harry Brown is a good movie that you should watch if you have the opportunity, Caine’s best? No, but even if it was Caine’s worst (which it isn't) it would still be better then most actors at any point in their careers.

Harry Brown is out this week on DVD in the UK and comes to selected theaters in April in the U.S. Worth at least a Rental or Matinée depending on your country.

Final Verdict

7 out of 10

Sinatra Enjoys Harry Brown