Jailbait (2004)

17% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
58% of users liked it
(473 ratings)

A high school football player is accused of the statutory rape of his 16-year-old girlfriend in this made-for-MTV movie. TV's Matt Frewer stars. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Brett C. Leonard
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 4, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Oct 24, 2006
Studio: Kindred Media Group

Critic Reviews

Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Disturbing and affecting.
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
Claustrophobic and overwrought, Jailbait is an unpleasant excursion into gay panic mitigated somewhat by performances that are hard to shake.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
While the stars deliver highly committed performances, the static nature of the proceedings ultimately defeats them.
Laura Kern, New York Times
A stagy, only mildly compelling prison drama that ends up feeling like purgatory to all involved.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
I wouldn't have thought it was possible to make a prison picture as utterly boring as Jailbait.
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News
The cruelty of the law has been better demonstrated with news stories, and unless you're a Californian with two strikes against you, I don't know why you'd want to do this movie to yourself.
Brian Holcomb, PopMatters
It's really not much fun watching the non drama of our hero Randy (Michael Pitt) staring at the walls and keeping the hands of the more brutish Jake from clawing up his skirt.
Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International
Loaded with talent but not much else.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
a grueling acting exercise
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
This is very hard to watch, a powerful and disturbing film about the inhuman conditions that exist within the American criminal-justice system...
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics
Photography from inside a shoe box makes for a dull film no matter how close up and personal.
Jon Popick, Planet Sick-Boy
Jailbait takes less than 90 minutes to unspool, yet is filled with enough awkward silences to make my last date sound like the Dawson's Creek pilot.
Marrit Ingman, Austin Chronicle
The stage origins are simply everywhere, but this debut feature is so fantastically acted that it inspires indulgence of its first-timers' mistakes.
Brandon Judell, New York Theatre Wire
Not since Tom Arnold was employed as another horny criminal, one who tried awfully hard to sexually abuse Edward Furlong in 2000's "Animal Factory," has a penitentiary movie been so undone by a charisma-less performance.
Ken Fox, TV Guide's Movie Guide
In the final analysis it all feels very much like a successful acting exercise that while psychologically acute, doesn't really bring much more to the table than what we've already gleaned from a few episodes of Oz.
Eric Lurio, Greenwich Village Gazette
Unless you like listening to graphic descriptions of gay sex, then don't waste your money."
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
Jailbait argues that prison is an unpleasant place to spend time, but didn't Oz already destroy any remaining romantic notions about life behind bars years ago?

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

A very gripping, thought provoking film, no easy feat since it mainly only has two actors in it and most of the movie takes place in one room! Of course it helps that one of the actors is Michael Pitt - honestly I am yet to see him put in a bad performance in a movie. He is fantastic… More
A very gripping, thought provoking film, no easy feat since it mainly only has two actors in it and most of the movie takes place in one room! Of course it helps that one of the actors is Michael Pitt - honestly I am yet to see him put in a bad performance in a movie. He is fantastic in this one as Randy, a teenager sentanced to 25 years in prison for a minor offence, playing the character with such vulnerability and honesty that you really feel for him. The part at the end where his cellmate gives him the speech about why he is his friend (not wanting to say too much and spoil it for anyone) is really horrifying because this guy is pretty much a monster, but there is actually truth in what he says as well. I found myself thinking about this one long after I had watched it and feeling very unsettled by it. Excellent and highly recommended.
Mike T

Stephen Adly Guirgis is pretty good in this film, but Michael Pitt is outstanding. His performance is unnerving in its realism and contains a rare amount of blatant honesty - one of the most transfixing pieces of acting from the year 2004. The script, although interesting in a strange… More
Stephen Adly Guirgis is pretty good in this film, but Michael Pitt is outstanding. His performance is unnerving in its realism and contains a rare amount of blatant honesty - one of the most transfixing pieces of acting from the year 2004. The script, although interesting in a strange way, is peppered with its share of flaws. The character dynamics are unique but they are also muddled at times. Overall I enjoyed the film, mostly for Michael Pitt's excellent work.