Synopsis
19-year-old Eric, arrogant and ultra-violent, is prematurely transferred to the same adult prison facility as his estranged father. As his explosive temper quickly finds him enemies in both prison authorities and fellow inmates — and his already volatile relationship with his father is pushed past breaking point — Eric is approached by a volunteer psychotherapist, 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.
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Cast
- Jack O'ConnellEric Love
- Ben MendelsohnNeville Love
- Rupert FriendOliver Baumer
- David AjalaTyrone
- Peter FerdinandoSpencer
- Gershwyn Eustache JnrDes
- Anthony WelshHassan
- David AveryAshley
- Sian BreckinGovernor Cardew
- Sam SpruellDeputy Governor Haynes
Recommendations
- 91
IndieWire
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. - 91
The Playlist
The supporting cast all do excellent work too, but this is Eric’s story, and so it’s O’Connell’s film. His performance is a revelation. - 90
The New York Times
Though it is, finally, an affecting story of two damaged men bound by blood and something like love (and also a thrillerish catalog of double crosses and shifting allegiances), it is, above all, a study in the patterns of chaos that govern penitentiary life. - 88
Slant Magazine
The cautious optimism with which it answers questions about rehabilitation and forgiveness is credible because the characters and setting feel so thoroughly authentic. - 80
Empire
A brutal, immersive prison survival story with a breakout performance by British actor Jack O’Connell. - 80
Total Film
The details ring true and the performances smart in Mackenzie’s prison movie. You wouldn’t meet Jack O’Connell’s tasty glare in a boozer, but try taking your eyes off him here. - 80
Variety
The pic owes its believability to Asser, who served as a therapist similar to Oliver’s character, drawing from his experience to shape the world. Asser brings more than just realism, however, crafting the central father-son relationship on the foundation of classical Greek tragedy. - 70
The Hollywood Reporter
Some years from now, Starred Up, a rough, violent and, to American ears, half-indecipherable British prison drama, will be remembered as the film that announced a new star, Jack O’Connell.
