By Liam Gaughan
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One of the many reasons that Michael Caine is often cited as being one of the greatest actors of all-time is his ability to reinvent himself. Although Caine became a star thanks to his charismatic performances in Sleuth and Alfie, he was able to stay relevant to a younger generation thanks to the key roles he played in The Muppet Christmas Carol and the various films directed by Christopher Nolan. It is great to see that Caine was able to stay so active, but he did have to step away from some of the genres he was most closely associated with due to his advancing age; early on in his career, Caine played many military serviceman (Zulu, The Eagle Has Landed) and morally ambiguous criminals (The Italian Job, Get Carter). Hollywood does not often give the chance to older actors to get one last shot at the spotlight, but Caine gave one of his best performances ever in the gritty crime thriller Harry Brown, which in many ways felt like the culmination of his entire career.
What Is ‘Harry Brown’ About?
Caine stars in Harry Brown as the titular pensioner and former serviceman, who lives alone in a London council estate after the death of his wife. Although Harry had once served in the Northern Ireland conflict, his only connection to the past is a friendship with his old army friend Len Atwell (David Bradley), who he meets with on a regular basis. Unfortunately, Harry begins to suspect that the ideals he fought for during his military service have had little impact on the younger generation, as the streets have become overrun with crime, drugs, and chaos. Harry feels rather helpless to do anything about the systematic issues at hand, but he is spurred into action when Len is killed by a group of young thugs. After he is informed by Detective Inspector Alice Frampton (Emily Mortimer) that the police are relatively helpless to provide any further assistance, Harry strikes out on a mission of revenge in order to bring Len’s killers to justice.
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Harry Brown succeeds by taking its premise seriously, as the concept of an elderly vigilante could easily have stumbled into parody. However, Harry Brown shows that its protagonist did not take action earlier out of indifference, as he felt cynically that one man would not have been able to do anything to change a culture that was declining. Harry never forgot the skills that had allowed him to survive amidst “the Troubles,” and he is only inclined to use them once again when he realizes that he has been incapable of keeping those he cares about safe. Despite the fact that he is searching for Len’s killers, Harry is also furious at himself for not doing more to curb the violence that he saw on the streets. Harry had once served because he thought that he was fighting for a better future, and he is now shocked to realize that his own community has lost its ideals.
‘Harry Brown’ Is One of Michael Caine’s Deepest Performances
Caine gives a deeply tragic performance as a man who is at odds with an entire cultural shift. Although he may be successful in taking out individual drug dealers and criminals that were involved in Len’s death, he often finds himself overwhelmed and confused as to why this generation’s youth is so disrespectful, belligerent, and violent. Despite how bleak the film is, there are some moments of empowerment, like when Harry is able to rescue a young girl from captivity and offer her safety. Despite the dark lengths that he is willing to go to, this would imply that in his heart, Harry still perceives himself to be a hero.
Harry Brown is a terrific action thriller that takes advantage of its protagonist’s unique skill set. Although Caine is certainly not as agile as he once was, Harry is a character that has honed his skills over years of service, and can operate weapons far more efficiently than many of his untrained opponents. The fact that no one would suspect an older man of being a vigilante is something that Harry uses to his advantage as he continues on his mission. While Caine has always been an endearing presence onscreen, Harry Brown offered definitive proof that he could still be a badass if the right role called for it.
Harry Brown is streaming on Prime Video in the United States.
Watch on Prime Video

Harry Brown
R
- Release Date
- November 11, 2009
- Director
- Daniel Barber
- Cast
- Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Charlie Creed-Miles, David Bradley, Iain Glen, Sean Harris
- Runtime
- 103
- Main Genre
- Action