A Few Words About A few words about...™ Harry Brown -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

I've been a fan of Michael Caine for (can it be that long?) going on fifty years. He first came to be noticed over here in the Colonies, in films like Zulu, The Ipcress File, The Wrong Box, and of course, Alfie, which was 46 years ago.

 

It's occasionally fun to go back to pre-history and find him in the like of Carve Her Name with Pride or How to Murder a Rich Uncle.

 

But I digress.

 

Most younger viewers will know him from The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Prestige, and most recently, Inception.

 

But to miss him in Harry Brown is to miss quintessential Sir Michael.

 

Having not seen Harry Brown theatrically, Sony's new Blu-ray of Daniel Barber's film, did more than suffice what was missed. The capsule story line concerns a retired English marine and how he takes to punks damaging his community. Emily Mortimer, who I last saw in City Island, gives a terrific supporting performance.
 

In some ways this might be viewed as a UK version of Gran Torino.
 

But without the Gran Torino.

 

One of the things that came to the fore viewing this film was the importance of high quality casting. There is casting and there is casting. Some casting directors will plug in the best they can find with limitations. But others are unstoppable, and find just the right actors. One look at those cast as the friendly neighborhood growers in Harry Brown and you'll know what I mean.

 

This is a beautiful Blu-ray, with DTS-HD audio that will be demanding upon one's audio system and speakers.

 

Don't miss this one.

 

Recommended.

 

RAH

 

An awesome film, possibly Caine's best since Get Carter, but I would add that this film is not for the faint of heart, although similar to Gran Torino it takes a much tougher approach and is downright unpleasent to watch at times.

 

As an aside, for any tourists who like to visit foreign movie locations, I would advise against visiting the Elephant & Castle area of London depicted in the film!

 

M

I pre-ordered the UK editon when Amazon first announced it. The early reviews suggested that Caine was back in his element, and ya can't beat that!

 

As to the casting praised by RAH, some of those supporting characters are so real that one can't imagine them as actors, and anyone who thinks they're exaggerated need only check out the BBC news or any English paper. The British government even introduced special legislation a few years ago to deal with what is termed 'ASBOS' (Anti-Social Behavior OrderS..) though I saw a headline recently that seemed to indicate that this was being canceled. (I didn't get a chance to read it but it wouldn't surprise me, coming as it does from a country (as in my native Ireland) where vicious crimes and murder carry laughably lenient sentences and judges give great weight to 'mitigating circumstances'. It's all about 'rehabilitation' - victims be damned! Anyone here who finds it unbelievable that the Emily Mortimer character and her sergeant (what an actor!) would just sit and take the abuse meted out by the gang-bangers need only check out the astonishing reality.

 

Back to Caine and his 'element'. The Ipcress File is another of my obsessed-about movies and I'd love to know if RAH has seen the UK Blu-ray (region-free) editon and if his opinion coincides with my own.

Watched it this week. A good movie and another competent Blu-Ray from Sony.

One sequence was extremly creepy and kind of unexpected but it really worked.

 

And Michael Caine is really really good in his role!