This past weekend I spent at ActionFest. Instead of instant Netflix films this week, I will be talking about the films I saw. Harry Brown was one of those films.

WATCH: Harry Brown (2009) – Rated R for strong violence and language throughout, drug use and sexual content.

“When a crew of drug-dealing gang members takes the life of his only friend, Leonard (David Bradley), retired Marine and widower Harry Brown (Michael Caine) decides to take the law into his own hands. Helmed by first-time feature director Daniel Barber, this gritty vigilante thriller set in England also stars Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen, Jack OConnell, Chris Wilson, Raza Jaffrey and Liam Cunningham.”

“It is not Northern Ireland Harry.” – “No it is not. Those people were fighting for something; a cause. To them out there this is just entertainment.”

Wow. It is hard to believe that this is the first feature film from Daniel Barber. This film is not only quite good but shows no sign of amateurism. This bleak portrait of modern England is very impressive.

According to imdb, the only other thing Daniel Barber had done was a short film The Tonto Woman. This was an adaptation of an Elmore Leonard story. Tonto Woman was such a good initial effort that it was nominated for a Best Short Film Oscar. The winner that year was Le Mozart des Pickpockets.

Michael Caine headlines as the eponymous Harry Brown. He is in almost every scene of the film. He has to sell not only being a downtrodden pensioner but also has to be believable as a reluctant man of action.

There are bound to be comparisons between Harry Brown and the early Michael Caine classic, Get Carter (1971). In Get Carter, Caine *surprise* played the eponymous Carter. Carter was an icy gangster seeking revenge for the murder of his brother.

Harry Brown and Jack Carter are quite different characters and Michael Caine plays both of them brilliantly. His portrayal of Harry Brown is a complex marvel. Caine is almost heart-breaking as a man who has nothing left.

Emily Mortimer is simply astonishing as a bleeding-heart Detective Inspector. I was so thankful that they did not go the obvious Death Wish/The Brave One route with her character. She shows a marvelous range from professionalism and grit to vulnerability and bewilderment.

Most of the other characters are incidental or catalysts though the casting of the uncaring youth is quite well done.

Netflix calls this “a gritty vigilante thriller” and while that certainly is the overall frame, this film is not really about that. This film is far more of a drama than an action film (the climax notwithstanding).

Daniel Barber injects a lot of social commentary into the film and his portrayal of the low-rent flats, drug situation and young hoods is very scary. The overall tone of the film is very depressing.  Unlike Paul Kersey in Death Wish, Harry does not really find empowerment in acts of violence.

I highly recommend that you put this excellent movie in your Netflix queue. Daniel Barber is definitely a director to watch for.

People Watch: Iain Glen has a brief role here as S.I. Childs. He was Richard the Lion-Heart in the underrated Kingdom of Heaven (see the much longer Directors Cut – not the chopped to incomprehensibility theatrical version) and Dr. Isaacs in Resident Evil Apocalypse & Extinction.