Production year: 2009
Country: UK
Cert (UK): 18
Runtime: 103 mins
Director: Daniel Barber
Cast: Ben Drew, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley, Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen, Jack O'Connell, Liam Cunningham, Michael Caine, Sean Harris
The Guardian Review
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/nov/13/harry-brown-review
Peter Bradshaw
Sunday 15th November 2009
Peter Bradshaw
Friday 13 November 2009
Overview
This review focuses mainly on the role of Caine. He talks about the change in personality and role when he realises he must fight back. The writer mentions little about the youths except referring to them as gangs and drug dealers. An interesting perspective given was the reference to Ken Loach and Nick Love films, stating Harry Brown met somewhere between each perspective. After researching in to these two directors films, I found Ken Loach tends to focus more on adults living in the sort of social situation in Harry Brown, and Nick Love focuses on youths. I could see how Harry Brown has followed the themes in these films. It is mentioned that at midway point Harry Brown meets these themes of Loach and Love films where he realises he must get revenge against the youth gang that killed Len. Bradshaw comments on the slow opening scenes when we first see Harry and how things "speed up" with more and more violence, which is clearly noticeable when watching the film. He also mentions how Caine is a perfect role for the film, which we can understand from some of his previous roles.
The Independent Review
Nicholas BarberSunday 15th November 2009
Overview
The Independent has given Harry Brown a particularly negative review. After a brief introduction to the plot, the writer begins to criticise. Fairly colloquial language has been used, unlike the review from The Guardian, such as "had it up to here with the hoodies" "when his old mate" which gives a slightly more mocking tone. One significant part of the review is where the writer states "There's a nasty Daily Mail-ish subtext to this brand of OAP vigilantism, a suggestion that Harry is only doing what everyone secretly would like to, ie blasting the scum from the streets.Daily Mail-ish subtext to this brand of OAP vigilantism, a suggestion that Harry is only doing what everyone secretly would like to, ie blasting the scum from the streets". Here Barber is explaining his opinion that the film has an anti-youth and pro-pensioner theme, referring to the so called opinions of the Daily Mail. However after stating this, he refers to the youths in a negative manner "scum". He also comments on how Emily Mortimer was miscast as the police detective, which to some degree I agree with. I think what Barber is explaining here is that she is not as forceful as her sterotype challenging characer should be. He also gives a critisicm on the finale of the film, where the riots "break out of nowhere", suggesting he disagrees with the perhaps unrealistic representation of youths. Barber finishes with a sentence including the description "full measure of foul-mouthed brutishness" emphasizing his negative opinion of the film. The line also acts as a pun "brutishness" being a play on words of "Britishness" suggesting he disagrees with the way the British has been portrayed in Harry Brown.
The Daily Mail Review
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/reviews/article-1227316/Harry-Brown-He-OAP-Michael-Caines-able-blow-bl-dy-doors-off.html
The Daily Mail Review
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/reviews/article-1227316/Harry-Brown-He-OAP-Michael-Caines-able-blow-bl-dy-doors-off.html
Chris Tookey
13th November 200
Overview
This article has a more fun headline, refering to an iconic line from British film history "He may be an OAP but Michael Caine's still able to blow the bl**dy doors off ". The term "OAP" has once again been used, an acronym developed by the media. This review supports the themes and issued raised, but does not nessercerily praise the film in general. As the Independant review stated, the Daily Mail does support Harry Brown and speaks of council state youths negativiely. However, it does mention that the film is an overexaggeration of our "broken society". Tookey also gives ctirisiscm towards other negative reviews from oter critics and gives a reason why they may have this opinion. He mentions again how the film starts with slow, dreary shots showing "quiet humanity" again relasting it back to Ken Loach style. He then also goes on to explain how the film becomes melodramatic, showing how Tookey disagrees with the over exaggeration of crime and youths. He makes the fair point of "Most hoodies are not the irredeemable monsters that they are here, and a victimised pensioner would have other avenues to explore before turning to vigilante violence." However, the critic then goes on to explain how the film does capture this "broken society" despite the over exaggeration. Tookey also gives an anti-police opinion, agreeing with the way the police are represented as "passive onlookers". He speaks how the film challenges typical plots of this genre where usually the policeman would be the main protagonist. Interestingly, The Daily Mail has given similar opinions to The Independent but not as harsh. He comments on how Emily Mortimer has no real effect in the film, but he has said this as a positive film as it "bravely" represents the police. He ends the review saying the film is not as good as it could be but does raise some moral issues.
The Telegraph Review
Tim Robey
12th November 2009
Overview
Robey gives a fairly short yet harsh review. He covers some of the opinions expressed by the Independant, except e is pro-police where as the Independant mentioned only the wrong casting and The Daily Mail expressed the opinion that it was a brave but important choice to raise the issue. He gives a brief introduction to the plot, referring to youths in a very harsh manner "drug-dealing, gun-toting feral youth" showing he perhaps supports the representation. He disagrees with the way the film "goes quickly over the top" which was mentioned by most of the critics. However, he doesn't have the opinion that this gives an unrealistic representation of youths, but an unrealistic representation of the police. He again criticizes the casting of Emily Mortimer and how she along side Harry Brown's decision to take the law in to is own hands, makes the police look like "total scaredy cats".
Robey gives a fairly short yet harsh review. He covers some of the opinions expressed by the Independant, except e is pro-police where as the Independant mentioned only the wrong casting and The Daily Mail expressed the opinion that it was a brave but important choice to raise the issue. He gives a brief introduction to the plot, referring to youths in a very harsh manner "drug-dealing, gun-toting feral youth" showing he perhaps supports the representation. He disagrees with the way the film "goes quickly over the top" which was mentioned by most of the critics. However, he doesn't have the opinion that this gives an unrealistic representation of youths, but an unrealistic representation of the police. He again criticizes the casting of Emily Mortimer and how she along side Harry Brown's decision to take the law in to is own hands, makes the police look like "total scaredy cats".
No comments:
Post a Comment