Bronson is a 2008 film written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, starring Tom Hardy.

The story is based upon real life British criminal Michael Peterson, who went by the fighting name Charles Bronson (a reference to the Death Wish actor). He was notorious for being Britain's most violent criminal, and though he never actually committed any murder, he has spent the majority of the past four decades in solitary confinement.

This film does a great job with balancing both comedy and drama. There are some scenes that portray Bronson's early criminal life as well as many scenes of imprisonment. What makes this film stand out, though, are the performance pieces strewn throughout, as Bronson -- played by Hardy -- stands on a stage and plays to an audience, sometimes singing, sometimes performing a sort of mime. It's interesting stuff, and all of this combined shows how incredibly versatile Hardy is as an actor. He is out-of-this-world talented.

Nicolas Winding Refn is known for his highly stylized directing, which is on full display here. I really enjoy the way his films look, as they all have a very slick aesthetic, though sometimes they fall a bit flat in terms of actual depth and content. This is definitely one of his better films, and the soundtrack is a delightful mix of techno beats.

The film is rated R and has a running time of 92 minutes. This is a niche film which may not appeal to all, but if you like arthouse features, or if you just want to watch an amazing performance, this is a good one.