Bronson review by The Film Fiend

http://www.thefilmfiend.com/2009/06/bronson.html

Mustaches make everything cooler.


I'm not the first person to declare Nicolas Winding Refn's critically acclaimed 2009 pitch black comedy Bronson to be a ballsy, one-of-a-kind cinematic experience, nor will I be the last. The film ensnares you almost immediately, effectively sucking you into a violently stylish meditation on the life and times of Britain's most notorious -- and expensive -- habitual prisoner. How rebellious teenager Michael Peterson (a fearless Tom Hardy) becomes the bald, mustachioed Charlie Bronson is, essentially, what the picture is all about, as it eschews a traditional narrative in favor of something more intimate and character-driven. Refn -- who directed the excellent Pusher trilogy and the criminally ignored Fear X -- is a visual wizard behind the camera, transforming what could have been yet another dry, lifeless biopic into something that's both completely accessible and entirely original. However, as essential as Refn's direction may be, Bronson's success lies in the capable hands of Tom Hardy. His performance is the very definition of daring, and ranks as one of the best I've experienced in several years, surpassing both Heath Ledger's turn in The Dark Knight and Christian Bale's unsettling portrayal of insomniac Trevor Reznick in Brad Anderson's The Machinist. Yes, it really is that good. Bronson is not for everyone, though I'm of the belief that it's destined for cult status. And the sooner I figure out how I can grow one of those groovy mustaches, the better.

Recipe For Success: Tom Hardy's Fearless Performance + Numerous Bloody Fights + Charlie Bronson Would Be Proud

A Word Of Advice: If a violent inmate wants you to grease his ass, by all means, you'd better do it.

Be sure to get in-between the cheeks, too.