Bronson (2008)

Director:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Writers:

Brock Norman Brock (screenplay) and
Nicolas Winding Refn (screenplay)

Release Date:

13 March 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Biography | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The Man. The Myth. The Celebrity.

Plot:

A young man who was sentenced to 7 years on prison for robbing a post office ends up spending 30 years in solitary confinement. During this time, his own personality is supplanted by his alter ego, Charles Bronson.

Plot Keywords:

Blood | Prison | Cell Mate | Drawing | Theater

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Tom Hardy	...	Charles Bronson
Matt King	...	Paul
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kelly Adams	...	Irene
Katy Barker	...	Julie
Edward Bennett-Coles	...	Brian
June Bladon	...	Party guest
Amanda Burton	...	Mum
William Darke	...	Charles Bronson - Age 13
Andrew Forbes	...	Joe Peterson
Helen Grayson	...	Uncle Jack's Party Guest (as China-Black)
Anna Griffin	...	Train Girl
Kate Hesketh	...	Uncle Jack's Party Guest
Leah Hinton-Fishlock	...	Uncle Jack's Party Guest
Mandy Kay	...	Boxing Crowd Member
James Lance	...	Phil
Matt Legg	...	Prisoner
Brendan McCoy	...	Prisoner
Jane McLennan	...	Uncle Jack's Party Guest
Juliet Oldfield	...	Alison
Jonathan Phillips
Hugh Ross	...	Uncle Jack
Dean Spicksley	...	Prisoner
Mark Stocks	...	Gangster
Joe Tucker	...	John White

MPAA:

Rated R for violent and disturbing content, graphic nudity, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:18 | Ireland:18 | France:-16 | Australia:MA | USA:R (certificate #45505) | Germany:18 | Finland:K-15 | Norway:15 | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Great Central Railway, Leicestershire, England, UK

Company:

Vertigo Films

Trivia:

Tom Hardy put on 3 stone (42 lb) to play Charlie Bronson, doing 2500 press-ups a day for five weeks.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At (11:00) The tutor asks Charles "What's the matter, Charlie?" But in this stage of the story Charles Bronson still had his original name Michael Peterson. He had not yet changed his name to Charles Bronson.

Movie Connections:

References Death Wish (1974)

Soundtrack:

Viens, Malika

Journey into aggression

Bronson is the dramatized story of Charlie Bronson. Not the actor from Death Wish, The Great Escape, and The Dirty Dozen. This is the story of England's most violent prisoner. Born Michael Peterson, he quickly realized that he wanted to make a name for himself. It is unclear why he chose the path he did. He had a normal upbringing, a nice home, good parents, yet he just liked to fight. And he was good at it.

After robbing a post office for what can be only described as "chump change," he was given a seven year sentence. Since that sentencing in 1974, Bronson has seen a little over a few months as a free man. He is still in prison to this day.

What Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn gives us is a stylized version of one of the most bizarre and intoxicating stories I've seen in a long time. Bronson, played wonderfully by Tom Hardy, loves what he does. At least that what he wants us to believe. I was never really convinced that Bronson truly enjoyed what he did. Then again, I can't see the pleasure in pummeling prison guards, bare knuckle fighting, fighting dogs, and bringing others close to death. That said, it was something else to watch.

Hardy gives a rock solid performance. He fits the part both physically and mentally. He has the right edge to let us know how intelligent and hostile Charlie Bronson can be. It's hard to imagine playing someone as energized and mentally perturbed as Bronson, who gets his jollies from beating up innocent prison guards and inmates, but Hardy does just that in style. He never falters and gives 100 percent in every scene.

I can see a lot of similarities to A Clockwork Orange. It has similar accents, violent images, an insight into the criminal mind. Things very much associated with Kubrick's masterpiece. Still, Bronson offers something different. It's more theatrical, blending both the real world with a more dramatic and exaggerated story, showing Bronson as a prisoner, a performer, and storyteller.

Bronson is filled with stunning, startling images and a gives us a very original story, the likes of with we have seldom seen or will see. Charlie Bronson is a unique case of a man that nobody will ever truly understand. Whether you like the glorification of criminals or not, it's hard to deny that this film and the people involved doesn't offer great entertainment. I expect more from Hardy and Refn.