Harry Brown (2009) ***

written by; Gary Young

produced by: Matthew Vaughn, Kris Thykier, Matthew Brown & Keith Bell

directed by: Daniel Barber

Rated R (for strong violence and language throughout, drug use and sexual content)

103 min.

UK release date: November 13, 2009

US release date: April 30, 2010

As I left a recent screening to a movie where the main “action-centric” character was played by a 46 year-old actor, someone I was with mentioned, “Boy, he’s getting old.” She then wondered if that specific actor should continue making films that required such physical demands. For the life of me, I cannot comprehend this outlook and sadly, it’s a pretty common one. I may be in the minority here, but I’m of the mind that a character over forty in an action role (to whatever degree that plays out) is much more interesting than seeing anyone in their teens or twenties go nuts on-screen.

So, many probably won’t buy the new film starring Michael Caine because they may feel he’s way too old but those who think along those lines don’t know Michael Caine. Today’s moviegoers probably only know Caine for his role as Alfred the butler and caretaker of Wayne Manor. They know not of his countless roles where just a cold stare-down from Caine will leave a character with a yellow puddle at their feet. Well, at age 77, Caine delivers his own “Death Wish” role and convincingly shows any naysayer that a guy his age can still serve some well-needed vigilante justice, specifically to a handful of English hoodlums hogging the local underpass.

Caine plays the title character, a widower in South London, who is written off as another codger by the violent youth than run the housing estate he’s lived in all his life in Elephant and Castle.  His only confidant is his friend Leonard (David Bradley, Argus Filch from the “Harry Potter” movies) with whom he plays chess with the local pub each day. Harry has learned to live alongside the rising neighborhood violence while Leonard is living in fear. Already in an emotional state due to the recent loss of his ill sister, Harry is pushed over the edge when Leonard is brutally killed by local kids. Harry wants to know how this happened and turns to his skills as a Northern Ireland marine to get his answers.

Pretty soon, drug and gun dealers wind up dead as we see Harry exact his own form of justice in his hood. Out of suspicion and concern, a local detective (Emily Mortimer) investigating the death of Leonard is the only one in her department connecting the dots to Harry. She should be concerned since Harry is in over his head. While he can handle himself, he’s also forgetting his emphysema and unaware how deep the level of chaos he has exposed goes. It’s maddening to him that the youth he’s up against behave in such a way. When the detective tried to confront Harry saying, “this isn’t Northern Ireland” in his response we see his agreement but also his bewilderment, “Those people were fighting for something; for a cause. To them out there, this is just entertainment.”