Friday, February 22, 2013
UNGUARDED
Today's film was the Spanish prizewinner (8 Goyas, the Spanish Oscar)
A new prison guard shows up a day early and gets a casual tour. Suddenly, a mutiny breaks out and he is marooned in the riot area by himself. He improvises. And very well, I must say.
This is a roller coaster of a movie. It does not let up and there are many turns on the ride. What you think is safe is dangerous and who you think we can trust is all wrong. We live it with this guy as he goes through it.
He does make "friends" with the prison leader and the film becomes a buddy picture. But unconventionally so.
The two main actors are superb. Well, the whole thing is quite something. Ensemble acting to the max.
Once it really gets going we realize that the problem here is a duplicitous central authority that holds the prison under tight control. The system. But politics are avoided.
Complications arise in the inevitable negotiations as four Basque separatists become fodder for both sides to chew on.
There is a wife of the hero.
Just when you think you have the thing settled, shit happens.
Edge of seat stuff.
I liked it very much and would be glad to see it again. I did watch the "making of" feature as I was interested in the background of extras and the prison itself. Some real cons, a real but superannuated prison.
Labels: films
