As I was watching the first 30 minutes of the bio flick "Bronson", I thought it had a death wish or something. It does take a while to let this movie hit you. "Bronson" is based on the true story of who is called England's most notorious prisoner, that would be Michael Peterson better known by his alias Charlie Bronson. He has been incarcerated for 36 years, and 31 in solitary confinement. He never killed anyone, just was convicted of armed robbery a few times; but it was his feisty ways in the prisons and psych wards he did time in that got him all that time. Instead of trying to breakout, Bronson wanted to stay in prison but not exactly as a Solitary Man. He relished on physically brutalizing prison guards and other cellmates, not to mention taking a few as hostages. Bronson also had an artistic side that is also highlighted in Writer-Director's Nicolas Winding Refn movie. Refn's screenplay with Brock Norman Brock did escape the rules of viewer engagement from time to time with its extreme bizarreness, but somehow it boldly & bloody worked. Kudos goes to Refn for orchestrating those power-punching scenes where Charlie B. is refn so many up. Also, I must commend his direction of the comedic scenes of observing Charlie readapting to social civilization upon being released after his first "prison tour of duty". But "Bronson" would not be a brawny feature without the tour-de-performance of Tom Hardy. This Hardy Boy sure did not lack a punch with his dead-ringer Bronson transformation. It will be hard to knock out Hardy as a surefire grand actor for years to come. It is hard to fathom that this is the same actor who played The Cleaner in "Inception", two exemplary performances but diverse in so many ways. "Bronson" is worth putting in the time for no better reason just to witness Tom Hardy's extraordinaire hard work. So pass Go and matchup with "Bronson". ***** Excellent
