The Bad Guys (2022)
7.4
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To avoid prison, a gang of notorious animal criminals pretend to seek being rehabilitated, only for...
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ClareR (5632 KP) rated A Bit Of A Stretch in Books
Feb 21, 2020
Chris Atkins was sent to prison for 5 years after being involved in a dodgy tax scheme that was used to finance his films. Wandsworth was to be his home for a large part of his sentence, and this is where the book is set. Chris wrote a diary whilst he was there, and he certainly had enough to write about: drug dealers, self-harmer’s, prison officers, of the helpful, clueless and vindictive varieties, and senior officials trying to instigate some sort of reform (which ends badly, if I’m honest).
It’s a funny, and at times frustrating read. It illustrates everything that’s wrong with our prison system, which seems to be stuck in the Victorian era. We need to decide what we want our prison system to do: to simply incarcerate, or to rehabilitate. The number of people who reoffend is phenomenal - isn’t this a total waste of money? Is this really a reflection of time well served?
Anyway, I suggest everyone reads this and makes up their own minds.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to the author, Chris Atkins, for reading along.
John Grisham recommended Race Against Time: A Reporter Reopens the Unsolved Murder Cases of the Civil Rights Era in Books (curated)
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Bode Donovan a young convict seeking redemption joins an unconventional prison release firefighting...
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JT (287 KP) rated Starred Up (2014) in Movies
Mar 16, 2020
It’s a major part of their relationship as Nev’s parental tactics involve the cruel to be kind method. It’s the only way that Eric is going to survive and the only way he will walk out in one piece. Eric finds some solace in Oliver (Rupert Friend) whose anger management sessions are a place to unleash a tirade of resentment. It places him within a group where any other individual might find themselves out of their depth – Eric takes it full on.
The film is written by Jonathan Asser, a former prison psychotherapist who worked in HMP Wandsworth. So he more than anyone can inject the film with a massive sense of realism. The prison violence can be hard to watch but you don’t find yourself turning away from the screen.
It’s not shrouded in Hollywood gloss and is shot with graphic precision. Mendelsohn’s performance is excellent playing the psycho and his delivery is spot on. Friend is also a joy to watch and a real talent. The Homeland star-making imprints into the acting elite.
However, this is very much O’Connell’s film and it’s not hard to see why he is fast becoming a standout actor. Grabbing this role in a vice-like grip he battles with his personality, the adoration from his father and a corrupt system who want him eradicated. It doesn’t paint the prison system in a particularly good light but then prison isn’t supposed to be a holiday camp.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Dream/Killer (2015) in Movies
Feb 1, 2020
The most heartbreaking thing was that after the son went through all this, he had no idea as to how to function in the outside world, since he was just 20 when convicted. I ended up just feeling completely awful for him, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the dude ends up offing himself, or purposely gets in trouble to go back to the structured environment in prison.
It's a pretty short, interesting watch, if you're a true crime buff.
The Brethren
5.0
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They're behind bars, but that won't stop them committing crimes. And it won't keep them safe,...
conspiracy political prison blackmail extortion