Starred Up

Name: Starred Up
Genre: Drama
Released: August 27, 2014
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Ben Mendelsohn, Jack O'Connell, Rupert Friend, Sam Spruell

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 26 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 96 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 96 Ratings

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Starred Up

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Movie Details & Credits

Tribeca Film | Release Date: August 27, 2014 | Not Rated

Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Jack O'Connell, Rupert Friend, Sam Spruell

Summary: 19-year-old Eric (Jack O'Connell) is prematurely transferred to the same adult prison facility as his estranged father (Ben Mendelsohn). As his explosive temper quickly finds him enemies in both the prison authorities and fellow inmates — and his already volatile relationship with his father is pushed past the breaking point — Eric is19-year-old Eric (Jack O'Connell) is prematurely transferred to the same adult prison facility as his estranged father (Ben Mendelsohn). As his explosive temper quickly finds him enemies in both the prison authorities and fellow inmates — and his already volatile relationship with his father is pushed past the breaking point — Eric is approached by a volunteer psychotherapist (Rupert Friend), who runs an anger management group for prisoners. Torn between gang politics, prison corruption, and a glimmer of something better, Eric finds himself in a fight for his own life, unsure if his own father is there to protect him or join in punishing him. [Tribeca Film]… Expand

Director: David Mackenzie

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Stephanie Zacharek

Aug 26, 2014

This is an unsparing picture, one whose violence, though deftly handled, is bone-crunchingly rough. Yet its emotional contours are surprisingly delicate, thanks, in large part to O’Connell’s performance. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Mar 18, 2014

Mackenzie (whose previous credits include "Perfect Sense" and "Young Adam") applies a sharp kitchen sink realism to this haunting setting and directs it toward an ultimately moving family drama that just happens to involve vicious convicts. Read full review

Tasha Robinson

Aug 28, 2014

The most tremendous thing about Starred Up is exactly how simple it keeps things, and what a richly nuanced story emerges in the process. Read full review

Empire Damon Wise

Mar 17, 2014

A brutal, immersive prison survival story with a breakout performance by British actor Jack O’Connell. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

Aug 28, 2014

Thematically tough and emotionally rough, Starred Up is the kind of movie you might enter into with some reluctance. But because everyone involved does such an outstanding job, it's also the kind of movie you won't want to see end. Read full review

Chris Nashawaty

Aug 27, 2014

Like Eric Bana's menacingly raw breakout in 2000's "Chopper" or Tom Hardy's in 2008's "Bronson," O'Connell bristles with terrifying hair-trigger unpredictability. Watching him, you feel like you're witnessing the arrival of a new movie star. Read full review

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

Mar 18, 2014

It’s disappointing when Starred Up begins to lapse into soapy cliché. Read full review

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User Reviews

ugisupriatna

Aug 27, 2014

Smart script, powerful story from start to finish, realistic style and terrific performance from Jack O'Connell, MacKenzie successfully makes "Starred Up" hitting your feeling and your mind as hard as the prison life always be. It's easily one of the best prison drama film I ever seen.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

klea0721

Jan 24, 2015

I have not been to prison except to visit a loved one moved from a juvenile facility temporarily to an adult facility long ago. Perhaps that is partially why I was so moved by this powerful film. Not for kids or the faint of heart.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FleshWorld

Sep 7, 2014

It's an outstanding movie and the conversation starts and finishes with the brilliant cast. Both father and son are incredibly good. It almost feels like we're watching an entire season of Oz and one nice two hour chunk. This one is absolutely worth seeing on the big screen if it's playingIt's an outstanding movie and the conversation starts and finishes with the brilliant cast. Both father and son are incredibly good. It almost feels like we're watching an entire season of Oz and one nice two hour chunk. This one is absolutely worth seeing on the big screen if it's playing in your neck of the woods.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

merrrillman

Aug 30, 2014

Jack O'Conmnell steals the show in this prison drama. Although hard to understand the accents at times, this movie held my interest and was realistic.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattBrady99

Mar 13, 2015

Prison is tough but Starred Up shows us how tough and brutal prison really is and why you shouldn't go there, I mean why would you?

The story is about a troubled and explosively violent teenager is transferred to adult prison where he finally meets his match - a man who also happens to bePrison is tough but Starred Up shows us how tough and brutal prison really is and why you shouldn't go there, I mean why would you?

The story is about 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.

I sawed Starred Up about two months ago now and more I think about it and analyzed the movie deep into it's bone to get my thoughts together. Because I didn't know what to think of it at the first time watch. There was no good or bad came to my head first time seeing it so this is why pretty much I waited months to think through, because I not going to review this film and not know what to say. But now I can safely and happily say that this movie is a shot by shot real like look at prison, and Starred Up got it right and this is a good movie.

Jack O'Connell so far in his career has won me over has a actor himself from his excellent performance in the Angelina Jolie film Unbroken. In this he delivered such a hard hitting performance that worked so extremely well with his character in the film. You can see the boiling violence in his character has it quickly starts to build up and it doesn't really take long for him to snap and go full psycho on people, and Jack O'Connell put so much into his performance for now I respect has a full movie actor.

The movie is directed really good as well, keeping your interest till the end of the film.

For issues I have some: The supporting character in the film are great, but they was a couple of weak spots with the other character's not being interesting at all and not really doing anything with the story.

Is this film re-watchable? no not really. It's one of those films that you think to yourself "Wow that was pretty damn good, but I never want to watch it again", yeah it's those kind of films. You may disagree with me and you may have watched the movie a couple of times now, but for me it's not very re-watchable. If you disagree with me on that then that's fine, it really is.

Overall Starred Up is a gritty, hash, tough movie with great acting and a good story about father and son in prison. That may sound not good at all with the father and son thing in prison, but watch the film and judge for yourself.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LeZee

Sep 22, 2014

The latest British prison movie, which was partially based on the true story. The whole movie was shot inside a prison evolving into depicting the prison life. When a young, but a violent crime offender, Eric been transformed into an adult penitentiary, he meets his compeer. His strengthThe latest British prison movie, which was partially based on the true story. The whole movie was shot inside a prison evolving into depicting the prison life. When a young, but a violent crime offender, Eric been transformed into an adult penitentiary, he meets his compeer. His strength will be tested against his counterparts who are two times older than him. The young fellow all prepared to face the most dangerous criminals from the country. Thus his restless days begin to fight for survival. He signs for therapy meet which is forced by his father who is also an inmate. Like all the father, the story describes his role as a protector. Definitely not a melodrama, but deliberately aggressive and he can do anything to defend his son.

‘‘Starred up means you are leader.’’

Impressive tricks by the felons who hide their weapons and other stuffs which can be useful for their defense. There is no exact story, scene by scene, it just replicates the real prison's daily activities and experiences that one can go through. It is not a greatest prison story ever told, but the contents were so powerful, like, as I said it was kind of inspired by a real person's. Jack O'Connell was unbelievably good in his role. He's having a wonderful time right now and I am eager for his next venture 'Unbroken'. The other characters were not that exposed as he was, but given equal good performances. I have not seen any prison related movie recently and this movie surprisingly met above my expectation.

7.5/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

YorkMan

Feb 13, 2016

Decent enough British prison drama that falls short of greatness. Tightly scripted, well acted and well directed, it suffers from a real lack of emotional depth.
The main character, although going an emotional change in himself as the film progresses, doesn't engage the audience enough toDecent enough British prison drama that falls short of greatness. Tightly scripted, well acted and well directed, it suffers from a real lack of emotional depth.
The main character, although going an emotional change in himself as the film progresses, doesn't engage the audience enough to make them care for him. He's just a really nasty bastard, and ultimately ends up in an 'adult' prison because he's aggressive and violent. The film tries to pitch the idea of a group therapy session allowing him to open up and connect with fellow inmates within that group... But the film makes no effort to explain why only those particular inmates make it into this 'anger management' therapy session, when it seems everyone in the prison suffers from extreme violent tendencies!
All in all, it's worth watching if you enjoy your films violent, excessively profane, and don't expect too much development through a cohesive narrative and compelling characterisation.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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