Felon

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Felon

84% Liked It
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Felon

Greg Serano, Harold Perrineau, Johnny Lewis, Marisol Nichols, Nate Parker

A family man convicted of killing an intruder must cope with life afterward in the violent penal system.

Id: 10969984

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Felon Recent Reviews
  • JDFortuneFan
    August 9, 2009
    JDFortuneFan
    Felon is one of the best films from 2008. An excellent plot plays flawlessly with the well written script and outstanding acting. Val Kilmer may be one of the best, if not the best actor of all time. Kudos to Ric Roman Waugh for his brilliant direction. Interesting, intense a...( read more)nd unforgettable....
  • mrpopcorn
    January 6, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "No Rules. No Hope. No Way Out."

    A loving husband and father finds his promising future transformed into a waking nightmare when he's convicted of involuntary manslaughter after accidentally killing the burglar who broke into his home in this gritty prison drama starrin...( read more)g Stephen Dorff and Val Kilmer. Wade Porter (Dorff) would have done anything to protect his family, and when they were threatened he did what any caring family man would have done. But somehow everything went wrong, and now Wade has been sentenced to spend three years in a maximum-security prison. It's a place where the rules of society have been all but forgotten, and in addition to sharing a cell with a notorious mass murderer (Kilmer), Wade somehow incurs the wrath of the sadistic head prison guard (Harold Perrineau). Now, in order to survive the series of vicious beatings orchestrated for the amusement of the guards, Wade realizes that in order to survive the block and get back to his family he will have to become the toughest felon of them all. But even if Wade does manage to live through this harrowing ordeal, what will be left of that loving family man once he's finally released back into civilized society?

    Review
    Brilliant film. Like Frankenheimer's The Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) this film moves well beyond the issues of prison reform and ponders the many complex facets of human violence.

    John Smith (Val Kilmer) says something like "Make no mistake. We are all in prison." The film successfully articulates that "this could be you" perspective, but in a much broader sense breaks down the barriers between "inside" and "outside" even as it authentically recreates the "inside." One is left with the feeling that we need to completely rethink the relationship between prison and society -- as well as re-evaluate the function of prisons.

    Also--Val Kilmer is spectacular; under playing a powerful role. In my book he is one of the best actors of his generation. One is tempted to assume that there must be some problem with his career because he is not making "blockbusters"--but I tend to think that he is consciously choosing to be an actor instead of a movie star. One of 2008's underrated films, a must-see.
  • TheMachinist
    December 23, 2008
    TheMachinist
    "Patience. Penance"

    Wow. "Felon" could easily be summoned with this simple word.

    "Felon" is a film about the corruption of the penitantiary system. But don't expect only violence and depressed fates of the imprisoned. Ric Roman Waugh's movie is also a gripping and effective st...( read more)ory about unconditional love.

    Stephen Dorff's character, Wade Porter, is sentenced for 3 years for killing a burglar. He gets taken away from his family and sent to the state prison. There he will find that survival is the only thing that matters if he wants to see his loved ones again. He befriends with John Smith, played by Val Kilmer. With his help, he might just succeed.

    The movie is a very impressive effort by Mr. Waugh. Without the great support by talented actors, "Felon" could be easily be buried into oblivion. Stephen Dorff's performance is somewhat spectacular and one of the highlights of 2008. The supporting actors also contribute with decent performances.

    The handheld, sometimes jerky camera places the viewer inside it all. In "Felon" this style works really well.

    "Felon" was a really good surprise and I certainly will remember this movie as a personal favourite of the 2008 movie year. With a film that belongs to the prison-themed genre, something groundbreaking is hard to accomplish, but still "Felon" deserves my recommendations.

    "Yes, prison desensitizes you. But it also forces you to see what's most important. Family. And loyalty"
  • garystev
    December 16, 2008
    garystev
    This little gem seemed to slip under my radar and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by this prison movie. Stephen Dorff brings the best performance we've seen from him in years and the story itself has enough thrills, action and drama to keep even sceptical audiences interest...( read more)ed. Brutally realistic and tragically human in its message. So don't browse by this direct to DVD title anymore. A great (little known) prison flick.
  • StaisilD
    November 14, 2008
    StaisilD
    Everything seems to be going well for Wade Porter (Stephen Dorff). His construction business is taking off, he's about to be married, and life seems stable. Then, someone breaks into his house. Wade pursues the intruder out of his home and hits him with a bat, killing him instant...( read more)ly. Unable to get together bail money and assigned a court-appointed attorney, Wade sits in county lockup waiting for pre-trial motions. After a few months, the district attorney offers Wade a deal: plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter and do three years in prison with all his time in county jail going towards the sentence. While on the bus being transported to the prison, he's witness to a killing by famous inmate Danny Samson. Wade has the murder weapon placed on him. Now, he's in a tough predicament: if he rats on Samson he's as good as dead, but if he doesn't, he'll get locked up in the Security Housing Unit (SHU), a place for violent offenders ruled by sadistic guard Jackson (Harold Perrineau). Wade opts to keep silent and is eventually placed in the SHU, where his new roommate is notorious mass-murderer John Smith (Val Kilmer). Wade now has to fight to stay alive and keep his family together against the intense pressures of prison life. Stephen Dorff is also wholly believable as Wade Porter. He's asked to turn from an average Joe into a brutal killer. Dorff gives a very convincing performance. Felon boasts an atmosphere of authenticity that proves instrumental in allowing one to easily overlook its sporadic flaws. Felon is a gritty, thoroughly compelling prison drama.
  • CloudStrife84
    November 28, 2009
    CloudStrife84
    This is a great example of how a movie can be amazingly captivating, and ascend to impressive heights, without as much as a single explosion, car chase or CGI effect. The story is very reminiscent of The Shawshank Redemption, only more violent, gritty and realistic. Most o...( read more)f the actors (apart from Val Kilmer, who here gives one of his best-ever performances) are quite unknown, but I thought that worked in the movie's favor, as it added to the authenticity factor. It's just boggles me how a film as brilliant as this one has received so little notice and publicity. I had never heard of it myself, up until about a week ago when I was recommended to see it. And I certainly don't regret that I did. Because this is, without question, one of the best prison flicks I've ever seen. Incredibly engaging and riveting, and with a ending that was both believable and satisfying.
  • lucynechita
    November 7, 2009
    lucynechita
    Excellent movie not the usual prison movie!
  • dukeakasmudge
    October 22, 2009
    dukeakasmudge
    I didnt expect this movie to be as good as it was
  • aikyu17
    October 19, 2009
    aikyu17
    I really supported the lead role in it! This movie got its power i think. Maybe u guys don't really like this movie, but i do. Thumbs Up! i'll give it second time to watch.
  • jasontmartin3
    October 4, 2009
    jasontmartin3
    The 3rd best prison movie ever!
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