FILM
WASTEMAN
LIFE BEHIND BARS HAS RARELY BEEN THIS BRUTAL
Doing time: David Jonsson and Tom Blyth.
WATCH FIRST
Director Cal McMau previously directed the 2017 short film Bossman, starring Tom Davis and Allan Mustafa. Set in HMP Portsmouth, it directly contributed to the development of Wasteman.
★★★★
OUT FEBRUARY 20 / CERT 18 / 90 MINS
DIRECTOR Cal McMau
CAST David Jonsson, Tom Blyth, Corin Silva, Alex Hassell, Neil Linpow
PLOT Taylor (Jonsson) hopes to be released from prison after a long sentence but his new cellmate, Dee (Blyth), threatens to scupper his chances.
WASTEMAN BEGINS IN the unmistakable aspect ratio of a mobile phone. In a tiny prison cell, men crowd and jeer, while dark threats are thrown about. “I’ve cut someone’s throat for less than that,” growls one. It’s clear we are watching a prison-made viral video: violence, commodified for the TikTok generation.