While serving life in a London prison, weighty and morose Brian Cox (as Frank Perry) receives a letter revealing his drug-addicted daughter is in dire straits. Wishing to see her before she expires, Mr. Cox plans a penitentiary escape. His small team of convicted conspirators make their break through London's sewers. We see parallel stories, co-written and directed by Rupert Wyatt, of both the build-up and the break-out. With help from editor Joe Walker and photographer Philipp Blaubach, the cross-cutting is very clever. You can figure out a surprising turn of events if you're watching intently, but some of the details are going to be clearer during a second viewing; the significance of a wool hat, for example...
Cox manages to make the sketchy lead engaging; others do less with stereotypical characters. Secondarily noteworthy is Dominic Cooper (as James Lacey), who we're advised reminds Cox of someone he knew long ago. The younger and more shapely Mr. Cooper is marched into prison wearing tight underwear, which leads to the inevitable steamy shower rape; it's an unimaginative storyline, although Steven Mackintosh (as Tony) plays the perpetrator well. Cox' right hand man is otherwise Liam Cunningham (as Brodie). Muscular Joseph Fiennes (as Lenny Drake) and Seu Jorge (as Viv Batista) are trendy in a hoodie and dreadlocks. The prison is run by sauntering, steely-eyed Damian Lewis (as Rizza).
****** The Escapist (1/21/08) Rupert Wyatt ~ Brian Cox, Dominic Cooper, Steven Mackintosh, Damian Lewis
Cox manages to make the sketchy lead engaging; others do less with stereotypical characters. Secondarily noteworthy is Dominic Cooper (as James Lacey), who we're advised reminds Cox of someone he knew long ago. The younger and more shapely Mr. Cooper is marched into prison wearing tight underwear, which leads to the inevitable steamy shower rape; it's an unimaginative storyline, although Steven Mackintosh (as Tony) plays the perpetrator well. Cox' right hand man is otherwise Liam Cunningham (as Brodie). Muscular Joseph Fiennes (as Lenny Drake) and Seu Jorge (as Viv Batista) are trendy in a hoodie and dreadlocks. The prison is run by sauntering, steely-eyed Damian Lewis (as Rizza).
****** The Escapist (1/21/08) Rupert Wyatt ~ Brian Cox, Dominic Cooper, Steven Mackintosh, Damian Lewis