This is based on the case of Robert Stewart, a racist who, incarcerated in Feltham Young Offenders Institute, murdered his Asian cellmate, Zahid Mubarek. The film seeks to tell some of Stewart's back-story, as well as expose the failings at Feltham itself.
Lead actor, the unusually-named 'Leeshon' Alexander, also wrote the script. And there's the problem: as an actor, he makes a fair writer; as a writer, he makes a fair actor. Most of the film has Stewart imagining he's talking to a slightly more exciting version of himself (also played by Alexander). The constant swearing and racial epithets these conversations consist of become wearing with nothing lighter to enliven the piece; even a shot of the impressively-muscled Alexander in the shower (waist upwards only I'm afraid) has to be accompanied by his 'other self' moaning about how he acquired a tattoo of Bob Marley on his arm. Secondary characters - even the victim himself, Mubarek - are barely more than sketched out; the prison guards are shown as exclusively lazy, racist, or both. As for the acting, Alexander relies too much on wide-eyed stares to convey an unhinged mind. (And, to be honest, he's rather swarthy to be convincing as a white racist - possibly that's why the entire film is shot in a strange, washed-out, unrealistic light.)
The bigwig at the 2014 Edinburgh International Film Festival who introduced the film used film snob language like 'raw' and 'uncompromising'. Perhaps. But my verdict is it's a worthwhile effort, but try harder next time. Doing a socially-conscious campaigning piece is all very well, but you've got to throw the audience a bone of interest every now and again.
Lead actor, the unusually-named 'Leeshon' Alexander, also wrote the script. And there's the problem: as an actor, he makes a fair writer; as a writer, he makes a fair actor. Most of the film has Stewart imagining he's talking to a slightly more exciting version of himself (also played by Alexander). The constant swearing and racial epithets these conversations consist of become wearing with nothing lighter to enliven the piece; even a shot of the impressively-muscled Alexander in the shower (waist upwards only I'm afraid) has to be accompanied by his 'other self' moaning about how he acquired a tattoo of Bob Marley on his arm. Secondary characters - even the victim himself, Mubarek - are barely more than sketched out; the prison guards are shown as exclusively lazy, racist, or both. As for the acting, Alexander relies too much on wide-eyed stares to convey an unhinged mind. (And, to be honest, he's rather swarthy to be convincing as a white racist - possibly that's why the entire film is shot in a strange, washed-out, unrealistic light.)
The bigwig at the 2014 Edinburgh International Film Festival who introduced the film used film snob language like 'raw' and 'uncompromising'. Perhaps. But my verdict is it's a worthwhile effort, but try harder next time. Doing a socially-conscious campaigning piece is all very well, but you've got to throw the audience a bone of interest every now and again.