Plot
The film is a semi-biographical story based on the experiences of former prison guard Ronnie Thompson who spent seven years working in some of the UK's most dangerous prisons...

Release Year: 2011

Rating: 5.4/10 (599 voted)

Director: Reg Traviss

Stars: James D'Arcy, Noel Clarke, Frank Harper

Storyline
The film is a semi-biographical story based on the experiences of former prison guard Ronnie Thompson who spent seven years working in some of the UK's most dangerous prisons. Based on Thompson's book of the same name, the project stars James D'Arcy (Master & Commander), Noel Clarke (Kidulthood), Frank Harper (The Football Factory), Jamie Foreman (Layer Cake), Andrew Shim (This Is England) and Kate Magowan (Stardust). The story revolves around former soldier Sam Norwood who takes a job as a prison officer when he returns from Iraq and becomes exposed to the underworld of prison culture - including corrupt guards and drug trafficking.

Writers: Ronnie Thompson, Colin Butts

Cast:
James D'Arcy - Sam
Noel Clarke - Truman
Frank Harper - Deano
Kate Magowan - Danielle
Jamie Foreman - Rumpole
Doug Allen - Steadman
Ray Panthaki - Neil
Andrew Shim - Jamie
David Hayman - Keenan
Cal Macaninch - Eddie
Heather Peace - Charlie
Martin Hancock - Bowers
Tony Jayawardena - Bear
Joseph Gilgun - Karl
Everal Walsh - Curtis

Release Date: 3 June 2011

Filming Locations: Essex, England, UK

Box Office Details

Budget: $3,000,000 (estimated)

Runtime: 110 min

Very watchable, riveting narrative and utterly believable drama

Rating: 10/10

What a powerful insight into a World behind bars. D'Arcy, Clark & Harper were superb in portraying the realism of life on the wrong and right side of the law. Although this film was rated as an 18 due to it's language and violence, Travis shows the brutality, but cleverly leaves the outcome to our imaginations without ramming it down our throats. Very watchable, the way the narrative switches between D'Arcy's character Sam and his home/work relationships is riveting, drawing the audience in, making us ask ourselves what we would do in a time where money doesn't come easy and more people are turning to drugs hoping to lose themselves in the darkness. A nice film to high light the dangers of crime and how easily people can get trapped and enticed, but good prevails in the end.

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