Harry Brown poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-Miles, Ben Drew, Liam Cunningham ... see more see more... , David Bradley , Iain Glen , Sean Harris , Jack O'Connell , Jamie Downey , Lee Oakes , Joe Gilgun , Marva Alexander , Liz Daniels , Marvin Stewart-Campbell , Lauretta Gavin , Rad Kaim , Claire Hackett , Ashley McGuire , Raza Jaffrey , Martin Wilde , Sian Mine , Klariza Clayton , Grace Vallorani , Sue Farr , Forbes KB , Michelle Tate , Orla O'Rourke , Andy Pilgrim , Danny Freitas , Mens-Sana Tamakloe , Robert B. Hunt , Gary Hoptrough , Gary Connery , Amanda Foster , Charlie Ramsay , Pete Ford , Andy Merchant , Ian Van Temperley , Erol Mehmet , Roy Taylor , Chris Pollard , Amy Steel , Robert Styles , Andy Wareham , Tony Messiah , Ian Pead , Belinda McGinley , Ashley George , Amy Edge

Academy Award nominee Daniel Barber (The Tonto Woman) makes his feature directorial debut with this gritty critique on contemporary British society starring Michael Caine as an elderly shut-in who's s... read more read more...purred to action by a senseless act of violence. Harry Brown (Caine) resides in a desolate public-housing apartment block as his sickly wife lies dying in a local hospital. He spends most of his days in solitude, only getting out to play the occasional game of chess at a nearby pub with his best friend, Leonard (David Bradley). The days of basic human decency seem to be a thing of the past, because in recent years barbarous drug dealers and gangsters have overtaken the dilapidated complex. Killing is a way of life for these young thugs, and as a result overburdened detectives Frampton (Emily Mortimer) and Hicock (Charlie Creed-Miles) are essentially relegated to knocking on doors and notifying parents when their children have been killed in the latest fracas, instead of investigating the crimes and jailing the guilty parties. When Leonard is murdered just feet from his own apartment, former Royal Marine Harry utilizes the skills he learned while fighting the IRA to take on the aggressive chavs who have intimidated the police into inaction. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

75% liked it

39,879 ratings

Critics

64% liked it

117 critics

R, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: Daniel Barber

Release Date: April 30, 2010

Keywords: revenge, vigilante

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: August 31, 2010

Get It:

Stats: 3,822 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

harry brown Harry Brown official poster official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still official film still
Upload a Photo | View All Harry Brown Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (3,822)

  • harrycaul
    March 7, 2012
    harrycaul
    Disappointing, considering the praise heaped upon it, particularly by the British film press. It's certainly a brave choice of project for Michael Caine, which left me wishing I'd enjoyed it rather more than I did, but it didn't really work for me. Given the grimness of the subje... read morect matter, I'm ashamed to admit that I did catch myself sniggering involuntarily once or twice, but only because Harry Brown subscribes to that specious and peculiarly British rule of filmmaking logic whereby the plausibility of events is assumed to be directly proportional to the grittiness of their depiction. My abiding emotion, however, was one of frustration - at the sight of decent actors like Caine and Liam Cunningham vainly struggling to breathe some life into their woefully underwritten characters. Emily Mortimer probably fares the worst as the new broom in a jaundiced inner city police department, who promises strength, integrity and perspicacity and somehow ends up as a vapid nonentity. Also irritating is the fact that, besides the platitudinous and not particularly helpful statement - however true - that the police and courts are ineffectual when dealing with antisocial behaviour and gang related crime, the film doesn't really have anything important to say about its subject and, therefore, comes across as a cynical, opportunistic piece of entertainment.
  • EightThirty
    January 2, 2012
    EightThirty
    02/01/2012 (PS3, NETFLIX)
  • ythelastman89
    August 27, 2011
    ythelastman89
    Essentially the British counterpart to Gran Torino and just as good. Michael Caine makes for the greatest unsuspecting deadly force. The build-up of his character is amazing; as is the rage buried deep inside him. I love the way this looks and feels; it doesn't look like a cheap ... read moreindie action movie with a bunch of amateur angles and hand held shots to create a fake sense of intensity. This was all about isolated wideshots and amazing low lit settings. I'd say it's a lot more creepy and disturbing than Gran Torino because it involves a larger problem than just a neighborhood; this really reaches for the whole urban youth gang violence. So many classic one-liners and brutally violent scenes are scattered throughout and they're done in such a classy way. The only negative aspect of this movie is the cgi blood; it totally takes you out of the movie at times. However, this is such a well put together story with great pacing. Not to mention the fact that you have Micheal Caine stocking the streets as the ultimate old man vigilante. I liked that his character was so good natured and harmless at first because you can see how much it takes for a completely normal person to snap.
  • fb1672039553
    June 27, 2011
    fb1672039553
    Really strong performances. The end falls flat despite the last scene which doesn't really seem realistic anyway.
  • bbcfloridabound
    May 15, 2011
    bbcfloridabound
    Excellent Film. Harry Brown has had enough. Moral of this story is don't mess with senior citzens. Harry has seen his friends harrased and the Neighborhood he lives in turn to trash because of the youth and gangs who have no respect for anybody. Pretty much a true life film of wh... read moreats happening in England and the United States today. But Harry starts to set things right. Being ex militrary he is going to see to the saftey of thise around him. Its kind of a modern day Charles Bronson in Death Wish. Still its worth every bit of 5 stars.
  • fb732260458
    May 12, 2011
    fb732260458
    Reaffirms that Michael Caine is one of the most underrated bad-asses of his generation. A gripping thriller indeed.
  • fb619846742
    February 3, 2011
    fb619846742
    A disappointing, over-the-top "Death Wish"-esque vehicle concerning a codger (Michael Caine) who loses his wife and best friend in a short period of time (the latter murdered by no-good teenagers), and elects to off those responsible as he sees fit. It is a mystery to me as to wh... read morey Michael Caine decided to star in this pile of steaming crap - he is too good of an actor to be wasting his talent here. The film's nihilistic nature never for a second feels or looks realistic, and the melodrama that occurs in the last 1/3 of the movie is downright laughable. It tries to adopt the social commentary that "Gran Torino" skillfully implemented, but it fails miserably seeing the ridiculous violence that takes place in its final 25 minutes makes one frustratingly ponder if director Daniel Barber was really, seriously trying to make a statement on the degrading state humanity is in. When a film takes such a violent leap from careful character study to insane action located in an apocalyptic wasteland, you are bound to lose some of your viewers. Not only that, this movie features an ending that tries to fool its audience into thinking it is poetic (would Harry really be happy with the way the police handled matters in the end? The film wants you to think so). I can't help but be a little disgusted by this movie.
  • sanjurosamurai
    January 29, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    a really well crafted film disguised as a common revenge tale. this film is as much about justice as it is about vengeance. outside of caine the cast is fairly inconsequential, and the script writing is decent at best, but caine is excellent as usual and the film carries a very... read more strong visual appeal. excellent movie.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    November 21, 2010
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Harry Brown is a pulse pounding revenge thriller. A nonstop thrill ride from the get go, the film is raw and nasty. The violence is unsparring. The thrills demand that you keep your face glued to the tv. Michael Caine delivers a great performance as Harry Brown, a widower who's ... read morefriend got brutally murdered by a gang of thugs, and now he's out for revenge. The film is very gripping and tough to watch, but you are thrilled nonetheless. Harry Brown is a well acted, well directed and well paced revenge film in the same style as Gran Torino. Michael Caine always delivers in his roles, and gives yet another great performance here. Harry Brown will satisfy any thriller fan who wants a good revenge film to watch. As far, as the genre is concerned, this film is definitely an entertain new film in the revenge genre. Michael Caine is a terrific actor, and he proves it once again with this good film. Harry Brown has all the trappings of a good revenge film, it's a great film, but it's far from being excellent. There's been better revenge films out there and revenge films always seem to follow the same type of formula. But this time around the actor is Michael Caine, and he does deliver a good brand of vigilante justice. Harry Brown may follow the same formula of other films of the genre, but it still manages to entertain and thrill the viewer. The film has good amounts of drams, action and thrills to be had. Michael Caine is in top form here. I think that he should be in more staring roles, as he really elevated the simplistic plot to something great. If the film would've had a different actor in the part of Harry Brown, I think that the film would have been less thrilling, but Caine was the perfect choice for this role, and even though Harry Brown may not be that original of a film, it still has plenty of good things going for it.
  • deano
    October 17, 2010
    deano
    The movie reviewers keep saying about this UK thriller film is the UK's answer to Gran Torino, with its disgruntled Old Age Pensioner putting the smackdown on the smackheads pulling the turf Harry Brown called home for years. It also borders, alarmingly at points, on a fas... read morecist's fantasy, Michael Caine's Harry shooting, barb-wiring and torturing his hoodie prey without much in the way of remorse and with much in the way of graphic close-up.
    In lesser hands, frankly, it could have played like a tooled-up realisation of talkback-radio vitriol. But director Daniel Barber's economic direction - in, astonishingly, his first feature - gives his revenge flick a distinct identity of its own. From a truly scary, immediate and immersion pre-credits sequence, through a series of unbearably tense scenes (the standout being Caine's visit to a drug dealer's den) and to a wonderfully Western climax, Barber takes his time, giving Harry room to breathe.
    But it is a powerful and surprisingly accessible movie that's brave enough to ask uneasy questions amid its explosive set-pieces and witty one-liners. Not to mention one that reconfirms Caine as the unparalleled king of cool. His transformation from chess-playing old codger to gun-toting Dirty Harry is a masterclass in slow-build.

View All Harry Brown Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ty Burr
June 10, 2010
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

After a long run of baroquely plotted crime dramas like Layer Cake and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, it's a little depressing to come across a vigilante drama whose sole twist is its protagonis... Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz
May 27, 2010
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic

It's simply the tale of a man who decides to do something and sticks to his guns, so to speak. That the man is played by Michael Caine is what makes it worthwhile. Full Review

Rick Groen
May 21, 2010
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail

On one side, it's all compellingly believable; on the other, it's simply incredible. We do our best to straddle the rift but, in the end, the gulf proves too wide, the contrast too great, and a tumbli... Full Review

Peter Howell
May 20, 2010
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

The film ranks right up there with Sleuth, Get Carter and Mona Lisa as being amongst Caineâ(TM)s toughest and best performances. Full Review

Peter Travers
May 14, 2010
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

In Gran Torino, Eastwood took on the moral issues that screenwriter Gary Young and first-time director Daniel Barber studiously avoid. It's the difference between riveting and repellent. Full Review

Tom Long
May 14, 2010
Tom Long, Detroit News

Such familiarity can breed contempt among all but the most bloodthirsty, and it would in Harry Brown as well if not for Caine, who somehow breathes life into the most cardboard of characters. Full Review

Ann Hornaday
May 14, 2010
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Michael Caine delivers a stunning performance in Harry Brown, a rancid little revenge fantasy that probably doesn't deserve him. Full Review

Colin Covert
May 13, 2010
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Caine's impeccable performance gives the film unlikely stature. It's impossible to imagine the movie without him. Full Review

Steven Rea
May 13, 2010
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Working itself into a lather of confrontation and conspiratorial hooey, Harry Brown ends in a cross fire of incredulity and cliché. Full Review

Roger Moore
May 12, 2010
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Harry Brown lets Michael Caine show us his action-hero side one more time in a film that Charles Bronson would have been proud to call his own. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Gran Torino
    Gran Torino (85%)
  • The Veteran
    The Veteran (100%)
  • Death Sentence
    Death Sentence (100%)
  • Death Wish
    Death Wish (100%)

More Movies like Harry Brown

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • D.I. Frampton: It's not Northern Ireland Harry.
    • Harry Brown: No it's not. Those people were fighting for something; for a cause. To them out there, this is just entertainment.
    • Harry Brown: I don't reckon you've got long. Seen that before. Gut wound. The slug's probably torn right through your liver. Mate of mine in Ulster got caught in sniper fire. Bullet blew his inside out. He screamed for a good 10 minutes. We couldn't send a medic in, the section was too hot. So we all took cover... and watched him die. I've never told that... to anyone... you should've called an ambulance... for the girl...
  • Every Man Has A Breaking Point.
Submit a Fact | View All

Harry Brown : Watch Free on TV

Harry Brown Trivia

  • Which famous singer makes a cameo apperance in Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban?  Answer »
  • Name the actor from the hcaracters he's protrayed... Forrest Gump Zephyr Trevor McKinney Andy Dorset Avery Brown John Henry Matt Foxworthy Peter Lane Harry Turner  Answer »
  • This movie starred Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, Jerry Stiller??  Answer »
  • In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, what colour hair did Cedric Diggory have?   Answer »
More Harry Brown Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Harry Brown. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Harry Brown Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Harry Brown to favorites

Recent News

Submit a Story |

View Harry Brown News

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

kpn666 Skin by kpn666
20 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins