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#332 - Bronson
Nicolas Winding Refn, 2008
Based on the true story of "Charles Bronson", who is described as England's most famous prisoner.
Bronson is definitely one of those films that deserves to be lauded for its lead performance and little else. The only other Refn film I've seen is of course his "biggest" film Drive, which was pretty much the exact opposite in terms of what it demanded from its (admittedly rather talented) cast. While this film still showcases his capacity for capturing high-contrast images and mixing in some eclectic soundtrack choices, none of it would come together as well as it did if it wasn't for the presence of Tom Hardy as the eponymous prisoner and elevates this rather simplistic film to a greater height. As "Bronson" (real name: Michael Peterson), Hardy gets a chance to show considerable range inside a seemingly basic and restrictive role. Using an interesting framing device where Bronson takes the stage in a crowded theatre and tells his life story to a rapt audience (complete with several make-up changes to accentuate his tale as necessary), it starts from his normal upbringing (where the only violence comes from him apropos of nothing) and soon enough shows him going to jail over a small-time hold-up. What starts as a commutable sentence of a few years balloons into a decades-long career as Bronson decides to try to make a name for himself within the prison system, which leads to several transfers, a couple of institutionalisations, at least one full-scale riot, a brief window of time on the outside, and - last but not least - countless instances of violence perpetrated by and against Bronson throughout that time.
Bronson is a fairly thin and episodic affair that more or less has to be carried by both Hardy's performance and the technical flair of Refn and co. The colours alternate quite frequently between oversaturation and desaturation (though there's more or the former than the latter) while the depiction of various events tend to be composed of elaborate and artificial (but no less eye-grabbing) tableaux, often as a result of Bronson's deranged yet creative designs. Other performances are serviceable, with the only other character that remotely stands out being Matt King of Peep Show fame as a suave-talking fellow inmate that Bronson connects with on the outside. The soundtrack is rather inspired, whether it invoke period-appropriate synth-pop or dramatic classic compositions. While it's ultimately a bit too shallow to be considered a genuine modern classic, it's worth a look if you want to see a remarkable portrait of a man whose inconsistent nature and grandiose sense of self-importance makes for fascinating viewing.
Nicolas Winding Refn, 2008
Based on the true story of "Charles Bronson", who is described as England's most famous prisoner.
Bronson is definitely one of those films that deserves to be lauded for its lead performance and little else. The only other Refn film I've seen is of course his "biggest" film Drive, which was pretty much the exact opposite in terms of what it demanded from its (admittedly rather talented) cast. While this film still showcases his capacity for capturing high-contrast images and mixing in some eclectic soundtrack choices, none of it would come together as well as it did if it wasn't for the presence of Tom Hardy as the eponymous prisoner and elevates this rather simplistic film to a greater height. As "Bronson" (real name: Michael Peterson), Hardy gets a chance to show considerable range inside a seemingly basic and restrictive role. Using an interesting framing device where Bronson takes the stage in a crowded theatre and tells his life story to a rapt audience (complete with several make-up changes to accentuate his tale as necessary), it starts from his normal upbringing (where the only violence comes from him apropos of nothing) and soon enough shows him going to jail over a small-time hold-up. What starts as a commutable sentence of a few years balloons into a decades-long career as Bronson decides to try to make a name for himself within the prison system, which leads to several transfers, a couple of institutionalisations, at least one full-scale riot, a brief window of time on the outside, and - last but not least - countless instances of violence perpetrated by and against Bronson throughout that time.
Bronson is a fairly thin and episodic affair that more or less has to be carried by both Hardy's performance and the technical flair of Refn and co. The colours alternate quite frequently between oversaturation and desaturation (though there's more or the former than the latter) while the depiction of various events tend to be composed of elaborate and artificial (but no less eye-grabbing) tableaux, often as a result of Bronson's deranged yet creative designs. Other performances are serviceable, with the only other character that remotely stands out being Matt King of Peep Show fame as a suave-talking fellow inmate that Bronson connects with on the outside. The soundtrack is rather inspired, whether it invoke period-appropriate synth-pop or dramatic classic compositions. While it's ultimately a bit too shallow to be considered a genuine modern classic, it's worth a look if you want to see a remarkable portrait of a man whose inconsistent nature and grandiose sense of self-importance makes for fascinating viewing.