A troubled and explosively violent teenager is transferred to adult prison where he finally meets his match - a man who also happens to be his father.
Starred Up gives you a good sharp shake and, in doing so, truly opens your eyes.
The details ring true and the performances smart in Mackenzie’s prison movie. You wouldn’t meet Jack O’Connell’s tasty glare in a boozer, but try taking your eyes off him here.
A brutal, immersive prison survival story with a breakout performance by British actor Jack O’Connell.
A superbly made, thought-provoking human drama with outstanding performances and just enough hope to carry the day.
It’s the sheer voltage of the performances and of Mackenzie’s directorial style that gives such energy to a film that might otherwise have seemed very stilted indeed.
It is an incendiary, visceral, riveting drama with a fascinating Oedipal twist; a brutal-realist depiction of male behaviour and prison culture, with the bitter tang of authenticity, during which the viewer, like Eric, is kept in a constant state of adrenalised high alert.
Verdict: Powerful prison drama
Jack O’Connell. Get it. Got it. Good.
The cells may be boxy, but the breadth and scope of the people within are wide indeed.
Interview: Jack O'Connell the Starred attraction
Film Starred Up: Three minutes with Jack O'Connell
Ben Mendelsohn
Jack O'Connell: 'I want to be one of the best actors of my generation'
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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