Harry Brown - 2009

Who knew all that time helping Batman would rub off? Caine is set to become something of a crusader (if not a caped one) himself. Sir Michael Caine has taken matters into his own hands after being Batman's sidekick for so long.

The movie is set in modern day Britain and follows the story of a modest law-abiding elderly citizen, Harry Brown (Sir Michael Caine). Harry is a retired Marine and lives on a depressed public-housing estate in London, within a community where drugs are the currency of the day and guns run the streets.

As his wife lives out her last days in the hospital, Harry restricts his activities to games of chess in the pub with Leonard (David Bradley), his last best friend. Their housing estate has been taken over by warring gangs that deal drugs and settle scores with impunity. The police, represented here by upright detective Frampton (Emily Mortimer) and her cynical partner Hicock (Charlie Creed-Miles), are reduced to simply informing the victims' families when the latest shooting or knifing occurs – visits that Hicock calls death-o-grams.

Harry Brown's life has been stalked by tragedy and when his best friend Leonard is murdered by a gang of thugs, the situation forces him to make some difficult choices as to just how far he will go to find the perpetrators and dispense his own brand of vigilante justice. As he bids to clean up the run-down estate where he lives, his actions bring him into conflict with the police, led by investigating officer DCI Frampton and partner Hicock.



As a revenge thriller it has obvious parallels to Get Carter, it's being billed by some as the UK's answer to "Gran Torino". Harry Brown also has been described as "The best British film of the year." I am looking forward to seeing Michael Caine kicking butt.

Harry Brown will be released to theaters
in the US on November 6, 2009 and
in the UK on November 13, 2009

Movie Music - See Chase and Status new single 'End Credits' video featuring Plan B (plus Lyrics). Released November 2, 2009.

More Clips, Pictures, Cast and credits after the jump...

It's a dark world, and director Daniel Barber does a wonderful job contrasting Harry's old Britain of pubs and basic decency with the youth-gang savagery he walks through every day on his way home. This is a slow burn of a film, and has much more on its mind than the simple pleasure of retribution. The depiction of gang structures and gang violence feels more kitchen sink than shoot-'em-up. Barber pays attention to authentic detail in both setting and character – although he still allows for some brilliant, thundering firepower.

Sneak Peek - Harry Brown
2009 Toronto International Film Festival



Cast:

Academy Award winner Sir Michael Caine (The Dark Knight, The Italian Job) is joined by Emily Mortimer (Lars and the Real Girl, The Pink Panther), Charlie Creed-Miles (The Fifth Element, Skins), and Liam Cunningham (Hunger, The Wind That Shakes the Barely), with support from a group of up-and-coming British talent including Ben Drew aka Plan B (Adulthood), Jack O'Connell (Eden Lake), Lee Oakes (Two Pints of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps), Joseph Gilgun (This Is England) and Sean Harris (24 Hour Party People). David Bradley (Harry Potter, Hot Fuzz) and Iain Glen (The Diary of Anne Frank, Kingdom of Heaven) also star.

Credits:

Production Company: MARV Partners
Executive Producer: Christos Michaels, Reno Antoniades, Tim Smith, Paul Brett, Steve Norris, Tim Haslam
Producer: Kris Thykier, Matthew Brown
Screenplay: Gary Young
Cinematographer: Martin Ruhe
Editor: Joe Walker
Production Designer: Kave Quinn
Sound: Simon Hayes
Music: Martin Phipps, Ruth Barrett









Is it just a coincidence they look similar or was it done deliberately? Dirty Harry DVD cover (left) and the poster for Harry Brown (right)


Harry Brown: Released to theaters -
in the US on November 6, 2009
and in the UK on November 13, 2009