Bronson

Starring Tom Hardy

***It’s kinda hard to review a biopic, since I can’t say much about the person’s life without spoiling something in the movie, but I’ll try my best.***

Bronson is based on the life of Michael Peterson, a 19-year-old who wanted to become famous. When most people want fame, what do they do? They learn to act and hope for a career in Hollywood. They pick up singing and try out for American Idol. What does Michael Peterson do? He gets a sawed off shotgun and robs a local post office. Originally sentenced to 7 years in prison, his violent tendencies towards his fellow inmates and the wards only served to extend his sentence to 34 years, 30 of which were spent in solitary confinement. The movie follows his life, and troubles, in prison, and his short stint as a bare knuckle boxer, during which he changed his alias to Charles Bronson.

The biggest factor that sets this movie apart from every other biopic, aside from that fact that it’s based on the life of a criminal, is Ed Hardy’s tour-de-force performance as the titular character. Hardy manages to turn a character that people would absolutely despise into someone that we want to see, if only to see who’s ass he kicks next.

Another thing that sets this movie apart is that the main character breaks the fourth wall, meaning that he talks to the audience. Throughout the movie, scenes would cut to Bronson on a stage in front of a huge audience and simply talk about what was going through his mind, or whatever he wants to talk about. It’s something that is hardly ever done in movies, but director Nicolas Winding Refn manages to make it very interesting.

The big thing I didn’t like about the movie was it’s gratuitous use of violence. I’m a giant pussy and can’t really stand to watch that kind of stuff (yet I loved A Clockwork Orange. Go figure). If you don’t have a problem with those kinds of scenes, then I’d highly recommend this movie, if only for Hardy’s absolutely brilliant performance. I cannot wait to see him in Inception. 

A-