a5c7b9f00b In 1974, a hot-headed 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 seven years in jail, Peterson has subsequently been behind bars for 34 years, 30 of which have been spent in solitary confinement. During that time, Michael Petersen, the boy, faded away and 'Charles Bronson,' his superstar alter ego, took center stage. Inside the mind of Bronson - a scathing indictment of celebrity culture. A young man who was sentenced to seven years in prison for robbing a post office ends up spending three decades in solitary confinement. During this time, his own personality is supplanted by his alter-ego, Charles Bronson. Being a huge fan of prison movies such as Chopper, Ghosts Of The Civil Dead and such like, I was quite looking forward to seeing Bronson - the story of self-titled sociopath and all-round hard-man Charlie Bronson - and I'm not quite sure how I felt about it to be perfectly honest.<br/><br/>Now, I'm a strong believer in convention and everything in it's right place and all that stuff. Bronson, however, does attempt to break the mould - but unfortunately, I don't think it knew how to put it back together again. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed a good deal of art-house movies in the past - but then, they were dealing primarily with art for art's sake. This is the story of a convicted sociopath and attempted murderer.<br/><br/>You can see my dilemma can't you.<br/><br/>While the film skirts around fact, most of it seems content to further glorify the kind of behaviour that got Bronson into trouble in the first place without much thought for anything else. The lighting and sets are very Kubrickesque, the acting very Lynchian. At times it rather makes you feel like you've eaten the wrong type of mushroom gathered on that field trip.<br/><br/>That said, it's entertaining enough but it does seem to try a little too hard to be something that it really was never meant to be - ironically, this is indicative of Charlie Bronson too. There are genuine moments of hilarity (the 'art' teacher scene is frankly unforgettable) and the 'split personality on stage' scene is majestically performed. All in all though, it seems a little fractured with the direction constantly going off on a tangent and staying there just a little too long.<br/><br/>I'm giving this 6.1 out of 10 - but with the right people behind this project, it could have been so much more. Pity. I've watched Bronson twice now. The first time I thought it was okay. Then second time I liked it a lot more. It's one of those films that grows on you.<br/><br/>It's about Britain's most violent inmate of Her Majesty's prisons, Charles Bronson. It shows a (rough) depiction of his life, how he got where he is (in jail) and not much else.<br/><br/>Some may say there's not much story to it - Bronson gets into fights. He gets locked up again. Repeat for nearly ninety minutes.<br/><br/>However, if nothing else, the film allows Tom Hardy to flex his acting muscles (along with those he built up physically for the part). He gives a pretty chilling performance of a true psychopath. Add into this a little bit of art house-type film-making and a contrasting soundtrack featuring the Pet Shop Boys and New Order and you have a nasty little surreal film.<br/><br/>It has some pretty memorable scenes in it. I'm glad I gave it a second viewing. I'll probably watch it again, but it's not a film you could probably watch often. In a couple of years again, I may well appreciate watching a madman dancing badly to some eighties electro pop. Refn has somehow found his way to an authentic English hard-man drama, anchored in a dynamite performance, even as it celebrates thug life. Spoilers ahead!<br/><br/>The Electrician - The Walker Brothers: Charlie moves around in his cell and fights the guards. Plays until the main title card appears and then tones down.<br/><br/>Va pensiero (Chorus of Hebrew Slaves) [Nabucco, Act III] {1990 Remastered} - Coro del Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Lovro von Matacic & Orchestra Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milan: Charlie's childhood.<br/><br/>Götterdämmerung, Dritter Aufzug (Act 3), Zweite Szene [Scene 2]: Trauermusik {Orchester} - Siegfried Jerusalem & Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks: Charlie tells the audience about prison and prisonlife.<br/><br/>It's A Sin - Pet Shop Boys: Played at the party at the mental hospital.<br/><br/>Meet Mister Callaghan (2009 Remastered) - Ray Martin: Bronson strangles the pedophile.<br/><br/>When I'm a Rock 'N' Roll Star - Tom Hardy: Charlie starts to sing as he presents real footage of a riot at Broadmoor Hospital for the criminally insane.<br/><br/>Your Silent Face - New Order: Bronson is releaed.<br/><br/>Attila: Chi dona luce al cor?.. (Atto II) - Orchestra Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milan & Riccardo Muti: Bronson goes to see Uncle Jack.<br/><br/>Digital Versicolor - Glass Candy: Heard through out the film; in the stripjoint, Charlie working as bareknuckle fighter and Closing Credits.<br/><br/>La forza del destino: La vergine degli angeli - Orchestra Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milan & Riccardo Muti: Charlie proposes, get's rejected and goes to jail again.<br/><br/>Das Rheingold: Entry of the Gods Into Valhalla - Berliner Philharmoniker & Klaus Tennstedt: The prison executive walks down the hallway in slowmotion.<br/><br/>