Starred Up Review

Director: David Mackenzie.

Starring: Jack O’Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, Rupert Friend.

Certificate: 18.

Running Time: 105 minutes.

Synopsis: Prematurely moved from a young offenders’ institution to an adult prison due to his uncontrollable violent tendencies, nineteen-year-old Eric (Jack O’Connell) is given a lifeline by unconventional therapist Oliver (Rupert Friend).

A dark, unflinching insight into the prison system and the ever-present clash between punishment and rehabilitation, STARRED UP, the debut screenplay from first time writer Jonathan Asser (himself a former prison therapist), is as much a tale of family and friendship as it is of prison life.

Centering on new inmate Eric (brilliantly played by former Skins star Jack O’Connell), a young boy too violent and broken to remain in a young offenders’ institute, the film follows him as he is moved to prison; a cruel, uninviting and cutthroat world where everyone is a threat and no one gives a damn. Locked up with his estranged father Nev (Ben Mendelsohn), who wants to look out for his son and steer him straight, Eric is enrolled in a therapy group, led by the understanding Oliver, which promises him the chance to purge himself of his violent tendencies for good.

What truly shines about STARRED UP is the surprisingly hopeful approach it takes to its subject matter, despite the disturbing violence and language that flows throughout. The film champions friendship, acceptance and rehabilitation, whilst at the same time realistically depicting sickening acts of violence and hate in a way that is never gratuitous, instead using these moments to further enhance the positive effects of therapy and reformation. Beginning with Eric committing a terrible, desperately violent atrocity, the movie slowly explores his troubled mind, his reasons for violence, and ultimately, his slow walk towards redemption.

Shot with a wonderfully stark and gritty verve that leaves you with a terrible sense of claustrophobia, the film delivers a true sense of confinement, no doubt due to the prison setting, but also down to the tension that hangs over each and every scene. Moments of silence or quiet contemplation erupt into blistering bouts of violent frenzy in the blink of an eye, the resulting fight scenes both raw and painful to watch. Prison has never been more twisted or terrible onscreen than portrayed here.

And yet, wipe away the layers of grim reality and gritty, uncompromising despair, and you’ll find that STARRED UP possesses a hopeful and positive quality, one that no one would expect from a movie about the life of a violent youth eking out his days in prison. Therapist Oliver’s personal struggle against the cynical prison officers is frequently infuriating as it is heartbreaking, whilst the strained father/son relationship between Eric and Nev is complex and beautiful to watch as it slowly develops, leading to a tense climax and a final dénouement that are both equal parts upsetting and endearing. The final shot alone is ambiguous, full of hope yet overwhelmingly tragic.

Boasting a script that is true to life, tragic and emotionally complex, as well as some truly excellent central performances (O’Connell owns the screen from the get-go), STARRED UP is brutal yet surprisingly optimistic. A strong case for reform over retribution and a strong contender for best film of 2014.

[usr=5] STARRED UP is released in UK cinemas on Friday 21^st March, 2014.