Synopsis
A family man convicted of killing an intruder must cope with life afterward in the violent penal system.
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Cast
- Stephen DorffWade Porter
- Val KilmerJohn Smith
- Harold PerrineauLt. Jackson
- Marisol NicholsLaura Porter
- Johnny LewisSnowman
- Nick ChinlundSgt. Roberts
- Anne ArcherMaggie
- Larnell StovallViper
- Sam ShepardGordon
- Vincent MillerMichael Porter
Recommendations
- 75
The A.V. Club
Felon's dialogue is overheated and some of its plot twists are preposterous, yet it's still white-knuckle tense, and held together by dozens of small, well-observed moments. - 70
The Hollywood Reporter
The most startling performance comes from Val Kilmer as Wade's hardened cellmate, a man who combines bitterness with wisdom. - 70
The New York Times
Mr. Dorff’s hot-wired portrayal of a prisoner under physical and psychic siege gives Felon its emotional through line as Wade’s attitude metamorphoses from stunned disbelief, to terror, to despair, to fury and finally to hope. - 70
Variety
Stephen Dorff's powerhouse perf as an ordinary Joe trapped behind bars with warring ethnic psychopaths propels Felon well ahead of its expose/exploitation brethren while still avoiding the pious learning curves of Frank Darabont's prestige prison dramas. - 63
TV Guide Magazine
Kilmer and Dorff, who was also an executive producer, immerse themselves in difficult roles. - 60
Village Voice
Harold Perrineau gives unintentionally comic expression in Felon to the delineation between his character's public and private scruples. - 50
New York Post
A good cast and disciplined direction add some distinction to Ric Roman Waugh's Felon, which is basically the old tale about an innocent man corrupted by a stay in prison. - 50
Los Angeles Times
Felon is not a total bust. What does work is because of the strength of the actors. Dorff brings a visceral sense of desperation to his performance, though he does tend to go too big too quickly. Kilmer gives the film its center as an alien, still presence amid the chaos around him.
