Bronson

Tom Hardy turns in a great acting performance. It’s unbelievable how he manages not to overact for even a moment in such an eccentric portrayal of such a wacky character. And he portrays that character in dozens of mental states with absolutely unpredictable reactions. In the screenplay, however, Refn did not sustain the gradual, precise psychological analysis of his character throughout the film’s runtime (interactions with new characters in new settings), and instead of a meaningful build-up, his creative vision is crushed under the weight of repetitive artsy abstraction. And that’s a shame, because with its unique stylisation, Bronson could have been the successor to Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange. (08/10/2022)

Very well made and stylish but pointless. I don’t require films always “give me something”, but spending an hour and a half watching how a mass of raging meat goes from jail to jail without doing anything interesting is not for me, really. Hardy’s transformation is impressive, but where there’s nothing… (09/04/2011)

This portrait of a perfectly brainwashed person can hardly be considered through traditional cinematic standards. On the one hand, we have the brilliant Tom Hardy, who fully defines the term "one-man show" and on the other, the director's annoying style of pseudo-intellectual storytelling. I’d have to see it again to properly asses it, but I don't want to. I liked it and I enjoyed it, but somewhere in the corner of my brain, it was pissing me off. I have to let it sink in. In any case, I haven't seen anything more contradictory since Kelly’s Southland Tales (though that analogy will seem a bit off to many). Edit: In the end, it’s an average film. Given what I said above, that’s a solid compromise. (08/05/2009)

Bronson represents an alternative trip from the mainstream into the waters of productions mainly intended for a minority festival audience. It is strongly stylized, practically plotless, but decently entertaining and honestly acted, with an interesting Tom Hardy in the main role, who thoroughly enjoyed himself in the role of a violent thug. I wouldn't want to live in the same city as Peterson alias Bronson, let alone the idea of ​​sharing an apartment in the same tenement house, but on the movie screen, his furious outbursts and manic ideas can bring a smile to the viewer's face. However, I wouldn't dare recommend Bronson to anyone, as it may just be too... maybe not controversial, but rather a crazy, eccentric, and difficult-to-classify original idea. There is a sense of inspiration from Monty Python's sense of mystification and absurdity, and it is also influenced by the tradition of British social comedy. It is a film that certainly won't make any impact on film history, but it has all the prerequisites to diversify mainstream film productions. Overall impression: 60%. (07/26/2012)

Bleh. A rebooted and even spasmodically independent biopic that somehow misses the point. At least I learned how to shop in a jewelry store. (07/27/2009)