Reviews from the Vault: Bronson (2008)

Nicolas Winding Refn's Bronson tells the true story of a young man named Michael Peterson (Tom Hardy) who always wanted to be famous. Peterson reached his fame in a manner not reached by many. Michael robbed a post office and was sentenced to seven years in prison, where he served 30 years for atrocious behavior performed by his alter ego- Charlie Bronson. The film is as bizarre as a Stanley Kubrick film and as compelling as a Martin Scorsese project. Most of the film is spent focused on Bronson in numerous jail cells and mental institutions, seeing how those are the places he feels most at home. There is another element of the film that is portrayed as a one man play, starring Bronson communicating with an audience that seems to symbolize his conscience. For some, this film may go beyond the acceptable borders of the mind. For this viewer, those lines crossed make this flick a masterpiece. In fact, that is exactly what this film is- a work of art with the aim of depicting a mad man's creative mind. The story and additional actors of the film could have completely bombed and Bronson would still have been a gem due to Hardy's brilliant performance. Hardy's acting could easily be compared to a young Brando, or perhaps to Nickleson's portrayal in One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. At times in which Hardy's character isn't speaking, the viewer still finds themself consumed by Bronson's raging emotions. His lips don't have to move to know what he is thinking due to Hardy's charismatic facial expressions and stage presence. Refn and Hardy managed to manufacture Bronson into a lovable of a monster as King Kong. Though at times a bit too out there for even the most imaginative viewers, Bronson is a captivating and compelling one man show that earns itself 3 1/2 stars.