BRONSON (includes trailer)
September 22nd 2010 12:26
Operatic, extravagant, nihilistic, exuberant, confronting, unsettling, brutally violent and demonstratively theatrical, all of these words could be used to both describe Bronson the film, as well as it's main character. Born Michael Peterson and currently known as Charley Bronson, this is not the story of the famous actor, but instead the true story of Britain's most violent prisoner. Despite being sentenced to 7 years in prison, Charley Bronson has spent the last 40 years in solitary confinement for his continuous, volatile, violent attacks on prison staff and guards. Charley Bronson is at once a dangerous inmate, a political figure and an artist who he gone through a strange transformation with in the realms of narcissism, exhibitionism and sanity.
Directed by Screen Adventure favourite Nicholas Winding Refn, (Pusher, Pusher 2, Pusher 3, Fear X, Bleeder) in his first English speaking film since Fear X, set in the many prisons of England, Bronson is immediately iconic, disturbing at times and as hilarious as it is brutal. Despite Michael Peterson's alter ego Charley Bronson being the basis for political debate in England regarding the prison system, Bronson as a film, completely avoids going in an expected political direction. At the same time it ignores the straight forwardness of the traditional biopic, instead revealing itself as a most unusual allegory for artistic transformation, as well as a farce on fame and celebrity.
Bronson is conceived with a unique avant garde form, at once channelling the style of experimental artist Kenneth Anger (Scorpio Rising, Inauguration Of The Pleasure Dome), the tone of Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange, The Shining) and during it's second act, the oddball humour of Paul Morrissey (Heat, Trash, Blood For Dracula). Despite these clear influences, Bronson still feels stunningly original, unique and confronting. In light of it's experimental story telling Bronson remains a film strictly for the art house crowd.
Bronson's extreme theatricality, which at times plays out like a one man show, requires an actor capable of rising to the muscular demands of the film, as well as being the diesel fuel for a film which breathes it's hot psychotic breath all over you, smashes you with it's cement fists and then strikes a pose. Deceptively simple in it's three acts, the first act establishing the film's unconventional flamboyance and it's anti-hero, played by Tom Hardy (Inception, Star Trek: Nemesis, Black Hawk Down) in his best performance to date. The film plays out in the form of tableaux, cutting between scenes of him on stage, performing his inner monologue with fire and brimstone to scenes of him in the real world.
It takes ten minutes or so for the film to find it's footing. Bronson begins, stripped of any narrative or fourth wall, Charley Bronson talking directly to his audience. As the film picks up momentum it just gets better from there as it's energy builds. The first half of the film sets up the perception of what Charley Bronson wants us to believe about him, versus the second half which shows us what is underneath this perception.
Through out the film we see Charley Bronson moved from prison to prison, as he attacks one guard after the next. Charley Bronson gains his biggest wish - to be famous, as he's dubbed England's most violent prisoner. His violent ways seem to be outlets for blocked expression and Tom Hardy is phenomenal as he walks a fine line, blending rage with understated goof ball comedy.
Bronson is completely unique, uncompromising and unsettling. Angry, unflinching yet decadently operatic. Director Refn tells his snap shot like story with dazzling, visual flair. Playing out like a demented slide show that you can't look away from. Tom Hardy gets to show off an abundance of range in his tour de force performance, lifting the film up like a barbell over his head. Hardy shows off his theatrical chops as a stage performer and his actual physical transformation, involving changing the appearance of his face and body is brilliant. Tom Hardy continues to blow us away with his intensity, tweaked slightly for comedic effect. In fact I found myself laughing at things in this film that many people would find disturbing, which highlights how far the film goes with it's black humour and just how brilliantly Hardy pulls it all off.
Cinematographer, Larry Smith (Fear X, Eyes Wide Shut, Barry Lyndon) shoots the film on the lowest of budgets, achieving the most magnificent results. Smith helps to create the film's surreal, bizarrely demented fairy tale tone. Creating expressionist images with 16mm film, low angles and wild diverse visual palettes. You get the feeling that Smith and Refn were up for trying anything.
Along with the film's effeminate supporting male characters, who serve to amuse against our violent, tightly wound, staunchly masculine, main character, this creates a gallery of detached chaps, queens, colourful maniacs and camp weirdos who all flesh out Charley Bronson's highly unreliable point of view. The synthesised soundtrack of new wave music and classical adds to the film's unique experience, along with it's visual wit. It all amounts to an unforgettably deranged film, it couldn't be further from anything Refn has done previously. Constantly taking risks and creating one of the most original portraits of a living man who the British public has, for some odd reason, championed as a rebellious hero. A truly strange, intriguing and solid piece of subversively experimental story telling.
| 127 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
It's my favourite film from Refn, I reviewed it a little while back. I still have Valhalla Rising sitting in the DVD pile and that has loads of potential. Love me some historic norseland adventure.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Excellent review there mate! Top work! I think Tom Hardy is amazing. Should've been nominated for an Oscar.
I have Bleeder in my collection, but have yet to watch it.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Bryn - Thank you. this ones been a long time coming for me. tom Hardy is something to behold here - very few actors have demonstrated so much range in one film before.
He cracked me up here too! I love how everytime he is outside prison in the real world there a running visual gag of him being trapped by more bars or locked or stuck doors.
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
BTW, great review Shaun!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Comment by Matt Shea
As for Bronson, I enjoyed this but perhaps not as much as you guys. I'm not sure I knew the character any better by the end of the film. Having said that, the fact Refn and Hardy managed to make him sympathetic is impressive on its own, and I loved the humour. Looks brilliant and Hardy is fantastic.
Great write-up as always, Shaun.