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Animal Factory
2000
Set in San Quentin jail, ANIMAL FACTORY is a bleak prison drama where Edward Furlong plays young Ron a middle-class petty dope dealer who, in this hard violent environment, is befriended and protected by Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe in a strong chilling performance) a long term convict. Ron's comfortable upbringing proves .. Read more
| Starring | Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, Seymour Cassel, Mickey Rourke |
|---|---|
| Director | Steve Buscemi |
| Genres | Drama |
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Animal Factory
Set in San Quentin jail, ANIMAL FACTORY is a bleak prison drama where Edward Furlong plays young Ron a middle-class petty dope dealer who, in this hard violent environment, is befriended and protected by Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe in a strong chilling performance) a long term convict. Ron's comfortable upbringing proves inadequate preparation for the harsh reality of a two year sentence behind bars, but with Earl's powerful help, he plans their escape.
| Starring | Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, Seymour Cassel, Mickey Rourke, Steve Buscemi |
|---|---|
| Director | Steve Buscemi |
| Studio | HIGH FLIERS |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 31 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 15 Dec 2003 Production year: 2000 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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While not in the same league as actor Steve Buscemi's debut directorial feature Trees Lounge, his straightforward version of Edward Bunker's novel of the same name gets by on the fine performances of all concerned. Basically it charts the growing father-son relationship between hardened convict Willem Dafoe — the big cheese at a hard-boiled penitentiary — and new inmate Edward Furlong, as Dafoe teaches him about the power zones that constitute the prison's perilous infrastructure. Overly subtle and unsentimental in its depiction of life behind bars, it consistently feels dramatically undernourished because of this refined stance — the climactic escape attempt being the main casualty of Buscemi's less-than-sensational approach.
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"...Uncompromising, truly chilling. Unsettles and fascinates. A far more powerful and realistic work than THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION..." UNCUT Film of the Month (Andrew Sumner)
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Most helpful member's review
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26 out of 27 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven.
Eddie Furlong plays a 21-year-old from a rich family who is given a positively Draconian sentence in a maximum security prison for marijuana possession. Fortunately the top prisoner hauncho (Willem Dafoe) takes a fatherly liking to him and protects him from the predators who'd like a taste of fresh young meat. This film is much less violent than most recent prison flicks, but it has a compelling enough story and is carried largely by Furlong and Dafoe.
It's not a bad effort but Shawshank it ain't.
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- JediSi
- Posted 27 Aug 2007 20:13
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Most recent members' review
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13 out of 14 people found this review helpful
Seen It All Before
Usual prison tale this. A rookie who is imprisoned for a petty drug offence is taken under the wing of veteran Defoe, and taught all the usual prison rules: how to survive the shower room, the druggies, the brutality etc etc. It is a well made indie movie which believes in characterisation over action, but it's all been done before, time after time after time. Passes 90 minutes ok, but do not expect any suprises whatsoever.
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Animal Factory
Set in San Quentin jail, ANIMAL FACTORY is a bleak prison drama where Edward Furlong plays young Ron a middle-class petty dope dealer who, in this hard violent environment, is befriended and protected by Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe in a strong chilling performance) a long term convict. Ron's ...
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