If you’ve found yourself without plans on a Friday night, don’t despair. An evening at home can be just as good as going out – or even better if you have the perfect film to watch. Luckily for you, there is a new film streaming on Netflix that has scored a perfect 100% on the movie-rating site Rotten Tomatoes. It’s been described by reviewers as “one of the best prison dramas in years” and “without a wasted second”.
‘Wasteman’, directed by Cal McMau, has a tight hour and a half runtime, which is increasingly rare in the current climate of three-hour-long films.
The film follows Taylor, played by Industry’s star David Jonsson. Taylor is a pathetically submissive drug addict who learns he is just weeks from being paroled from his 13-year prison sentence – if he can keep himself out of trouble.
Trouble finds Taylor, though, in the form of a hypermasculine, threatening new cellmate Dee (Tom Blyth), who intends to run the prison’s drug trade at any cost.
This prison drama is intensely claustrophobic. The action plays out through traditional cinematography, intercut with gleeful cellphone footage shot by those inside the prison. The wardens are understaffed, outmanned and outgunned, and every second of the film feels intensely stressful.
You might think you see what’s coming – in fact, it feels unbelievably predictable – but what really transpires is a twist that I never anticipated.
In a world of films where runtimes are becoming increasingly bloated, I appreciate the skill it takes to condense such an intense storyline into a tight hour and a half. There is so much happening in this story, but it never feels divorced from reality.
One reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes described it as “an intense, violent and utterly gripping ride from the off. The use of phone footage was inspired and made the viewing experience feel all the more immersive and real. It contrasted brilliantly with the beautifully shot widescreen footage to create something that felt fresh and original.”
Another said: “Visceral film with fantastic performances from both leads and slick direction. Well worth it, and what an ending!!”
Wasteman is streaming now on Netflix
