The Escapist (2009) NR - 4 Stars

There's a lot going on in this movie and I suggest turning the close caption or subtitles on as it's hard to understand the low foreign voices thus missing out on meaningful dialog. It's the type of movie you probably have to see again to fully understand. It can get confusing with the direction flashing back and forth so make sure your in the mood to really watch it. Great realism with the cinematography showing the dank areas of this London prison. With a lot of character building at the beginning, the film eventually involves you with the inmates. Excellent acting by everyone which helps make the movie very suspenseful and thrilling but I also found it sad and depressing. The ending is not what you expect and somewhat disappointing unless you accept that imagination is everything.

Frank (Brian Cox), is serving a life in prison sentence with no chance of parole. Having admitted his own quilt, he's accepted being away from his wife and young daughter and has found life to be very comfortable behind bars. Frank receives a letter informing him his daughter is extremely sick from an overdose. His only thought is to escape and get to her as soon as possible. But this is too large of a task for Frank alone so he enlists the help of fellow inmates Lenny Drake (Joseph Fiennes), Brodie (Liam Cunningham), and Viv Batista (Seu Jorge).

But some pretty low life inmates Rizza (Damian Lewis), the prison bullie and his brother Tony (Steven Mackintosh) almost ruin the plans when Tony sexually assualts new inmate Lacey (Dominic Cooper). Frank will have to become the man he once was to carry it through.

ThinkFilm, IFC Films
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Writers: Daniel Hardy, Rupert Wyatt
Producers: Alan Moloney, Adrian Sturges

I viewed 2/10