Jack O' Connell triumphs with a solid performance in this unoriginal but certainly not uninspired British flick. Every role is filled with above- par acting and the simple plot is paced perfectly. Enjoyable action scenes are met with a multitude of cliché's and a decent yet far from memorable script, however perfection never seems to be the aim of this movie.
"Starred Up" should be taken for what it is: a fast-paced, entertaining and very British drama that is not trying to do anything different. Despite the lack of originality, elements from films such as: "Scum", "Mean Machine" and even "Kidulthood" can be identified and form a very watchable piece of cinema.
The main substance of the movie can be found in the key relationship between Father and son; both actors portray their characters believably and are characterised in a manner that forces some sort of meaning into the violence and aggression throughout. However, as said before, there really is nothing new here and the conclusion of the movie leaves a lot of questions and situations unanswered and unresolved. Yet, despite this,if you enjoy violent, British drama's centered around a rebellious, youthful protagonist, this is well worth a punt.
"Starred Up" should be taken for what it is: a fast-paced, entertaining and very British drama that is not trying to do anything different. Despite the lack of originality, elements from films such as: "Scum", "Mean Machine" and even "Kidulthood" can be identified and form a very watchable piece of cinema.
The main substance of the movie can be found in the key relationship between Father and son; both actors portray their characters believably and are characterised in a manner that forces some sort of meaning into the violence and aggression throughout. However, as said before, there really is nothing new here and the conclusion of the movie leaves a lot of questions and situations unanswered and unresolved. Yet, despite this,if you enjoy violent, British drama's centered around a rebellious, youthful protagonist, this is well worth a punt.