• Starring: Tom Hardy
  • Summary: In 1974, a misguided 19 year old named Michael Peterson decided he wanted to make a name for himself and so, with a homemade sawn-off shotgun and a head full of dreams he attempted to rob a post office. Swiftly apprehended and originally sentenced to 7 years in jail, Peterson has subsequently been behind bars for 34 years, 30 of which have been spent in solitary confinement. With an intelligent, provocative and stylized approach, BRONSON (based on a true story) follows the metamorphosis of Mickey Peterson into Britain's most dangerous prisoner, Charles Bronson. (Magnet Releasing) Expand
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Genre(s): Action, Biography, Drama, Thriller, Crime
  • Rating: R
  • Runtime: 92 min
  • More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 22
  2. Negative: 3 out of 22
  1. 100
    Bronson owes a little or a lot to Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange," but if that's a crime I wish more people would commit it.
  2. Reviewed by: John Anderson
    60
    Too smart/arty for the slasher set, and too violent for high-brows, Bronson may have a tough time finding its niche, although it has "cult hit" written all over it.
  3. Reviewed by: Stephen Farber
    30
    Despite the artistic flourishes, this is still an utterly repellent look at a psychopath who does not deserve the attention of the filmmakers or the audience.

See all 22 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. http://mikesharkey.blogspot.com/2009/04/igizmo-review.html And throughout, Tom Hardy’s wonderful depiction is unflinching, menacing and minutely observed – a man who glories in physical confrontation, who revels in the combat (who prepares for a ‘battle’ in one scene by forcing a kidnapped and terrified prison librarian to grease him from head to naked toe). Hardy also depicts a more taciturn Bronson - all small verbal tics, quiet groans and mumbles as he ponders how to come to terms with a period of freedom. Overall, the artistic approach can mean it remains difficult to sympathise with Bronson, despite some suggestions toward the end that the audience should. At times it fraternises with glorification and, though presented extremely effectively, the violence is rarely naturalistic and is often set to music, filtered or slowed down. Yet despite this, and because of this, Bronson remains a visceral and visually poetic portrait and is a forceful addition to the canon of criminal biography. Expand
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  2. MartinB
    9
    Anyone who doesn't like this movie simply just doesn't get it. Maybe it's a British thing (I'm Irish but have grown up on British TV) or maybe it's particularly enjoyed by those who like Theatre of the Absurd (Beckett etc), but this is without doubt one of the best movies of the last ten years. Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  3. 8
    Sorry, machine translation. The "stage", by Nicolas Winding Refn. Violence and abuse, the victims left in a state of prolonged mental suffering, failure of institutions in understanding adolescent deviant behavior, violent arm of the law and to end the dreams of omnipotence megalomica. This is "Bronson," the film of Nicholas Winding Refn / director Tom Hardy and very good player in the role of Michael Peterson "aka" Charles Bronson /. That is a true story of Bronson. The convict thug, convict the most dangerous of England, has attracted public attention for his want artistic and literary production but also for their way of life accompanied by a personal code of honor. It is not a murderess, will not beat women or children. What is the strategy to tell Refn Bronson? The stage. Bronson is the protagonist on stage, as it is in many prisons turned from him. At that stage in those costumes and tells the general public. Ironically, the isolation becomes a friend and as such provides the necessary time to draft the "script" as the text of self-narration. Remember the scene with the convict in double face? This is Bronson, I understand, a man in extraordinary performance by Tom Hardy is presented to us a little 'jester but also very, very corrosive. Council to see the film, directed by brilliant quality, the history is not easy to tell and interpret it for the music, but ... Keep a safe distance. Good Click! ITALIAN VERSION Il "palco", di Nicolas Winding Refn. Violenza e sopraffazione; vittime lasciate in prolungato stato di sofferenza psichica, incapacità delle istituzioni nel comprendere comportamenti adolescenziali devianti, braccio violento della legge e per finire sogni di onnipotenza megalomica. Questo è "Bronson", il film di Nicholas Winding Refn regista / e Tom Hardy bravissimo protagonista, nel ruolo di Michael Peterson "in arte" Charles Bronson /. Quella di Bronson è una storia vera. Il galeotto picchiatore, il galeotto più pericoloso d'Inghilterra; ha attirato su di sé l'attenzione pubblica vuoi per la sua produzione artistico-letteraria ma anche per il proprio stile di vita accompagnato da un personalissimo codice d'onore. Infatti, non è un assassino, non picchia le donne né i bambini. Qual è la strategia di Refn per raccontarci di Bronson? Il palco. Sul palco Bronson è protagonista assoluto, così come lo è nelle tantissime carceri da lui girate. Sul quel palco ed in quei costumi si racconta al grande pubblico. Per assurdo, l'isolamento gli diventa amico e come tale fornisce il tempo necessario per la stesura del "copione" quale testo autonarrativo. Ricordate la scena con il galeotto in double face? Questo è Bronson, mi par di capire; un uomo che nella straordinaria interpretazione di Tom Hardy ci è presentato un po' giullare ma anche tanto, tanto corrosivo. Consiglio di vedere il film, per la regia qualitativamente brillante, per la storia non facile da raccontare ed interpretare; per le musiche; ma... tenetevi a debita distanza. Good Click! Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

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