Harry

Brown
Film Analysis
Media Representation
Media Language- Point of view shot- Unsteady cam
immediately understand it’s one persons viewpoint
on a crime taking place. Part of the gangs
viewpoint on what is being done.
-Natural light used- audience understand it’s at
night, keeps mysterious characters which are the
villains. Only able to identify villains full face.
-The use of costume establishes the characters
intent to stay hidden not to give away their
identity.
-Associations can be made to them being violent,
dangerous people being in a big gathering of a
gang and the use of drugs and violence in the
first few moments.
-Gun can be icon of danger to come- the threat
these characters established first can hold on
others with the weapon seen as a source of
protection and superiority.
-Can establish setting by the vandalism of the
walls to associate it with a lower class area. Also
when the two boys are on the motorbike they drive
through a block of ‘rough’ flats which gives an
indication of the living area.
-- Beginning of Harry Brown diegetic sound of a
dirt bike is present to a high volume this
suggests danger to come as its pacifically to a
high volume which engages the audience full
attention as it builds up to a climatic ending.
-- Sharp cuts in editing this shows the harsh
nature of the British streets as it cuts from one
piece of crime on the street directly to another.
 Genre
• Social realism in films is
representative of real life, with all
it’s difficulties. The stories and
people portrayed are everyday
characters, usually from working
class backgrounds. Typically, films
within the social realist canon are
gritty, urban dramas about the
struggle to survive the daily grind.
•
• http://filmstudies.suite101.com/article.cfm/social_realism_in
_british_film#ixzz0etJQHVRx
 AUDIENCE
• Aimed directly at teens who feel they can relate
to the problems which are being caused in local
communities and in their areas. Deals with big
issues which many British people can relate to
who may live in similar areas.
• People who can compare their lives to the film-
can create a comparison to what they’re going
through and what the characters are going
through
• Aimed purposely towards the male lower/working
class population relatable in some ways to their
lives, the daily struggle for which they are
going through.
 Representation
• Pessimistic outlook on Britain’s
lower/working class population.
Represents a dangerous and violent
Britain trying to inflict violence to
gain power in communities.
• Violence gives a negative viewpoint
on England.
• Focuses solely on lower/working class
Britain therefore a bias viewpoint
on Britain as a whole.
 Narrative
• A boy is being initiated into a gang by being instructed to
consume a high amount of a certain drug in order to prove
his worth. Then the boy is being informed of stage two of
his initiated and told of his loyalty to the gang for life. Cuts
to two boys on a dirt bike with one wielding a gun on a
mission to seek blood. This film intrigues the audience by
the gritty, pessimistic outlook of this particular area of
London. By this it engages the audiences who may not of
experienced the danger which exists in this area. This
therefore engages there attention into exploring a different
area to their own. Also, this engages a particular audience
of the population inhabited in London as they’re may be
interested on the authenticity of the film. The narrative of
this piece defines its audience because it targets a certain
part of the population who are interested in the overall
perception of London perceived in movies.
 ABOUT THE FILM ..
• Harry Brown was directed by Daniel Barber. It was
produced by Matthew Vaughn, KrisThykier, Matthew
Brown, Keith Bell.
• Written by Gary Young.
• Distributed by Lionsgate
• Release date(s) November 13, 2009
• Running time 103 Minutes
• Country United Kingdom
• Language English
•