Review of Starred Up (2014) by Foxgrove — 26 Aug 2014

This is a surprisingly powerful prison drama that manages to rise above the generally expected level for this type of genre film. Due to an excellent screenplay which balances grit with humour it is gripping from beginning to end. Relative newcomer Jack O'Connell in a star making performance (Angelina Jolie obviously took note) holds centre stage with ease as the junior offender who is 'Starred Up' and finds himself transferred to an adult prison where he is unwittingly re-united with his dad. As the estranged and neglectful father Ben Mendelsohn demonstrates, yet again, what a great character actor he is (He all but stole 'Killing me Softly'). The film is very intense and one scene of violence is so shocking that it had me literally holding my breath!

Technically I found the sound to be inaudible at times which, unfortunately, causes some of the humour to be lost. Never the less this is first rate stuff demonstrating cinema at its provocative best.