Tough and surly young thug Carlin (Ray Winstone in his outstanding film debut) runs afoul of vicious top con Banks (well played with growly menace by John Blundell), but still manages to usurp Banks's status as the new "daddy" at a harsh borstal for juvenile offenders.
Director Alan Clarke does a masterful job of crafting an uncompromisingly gritty tone and pervasively bleak atmosphere of frightening complete brutality, with the prison staff coming across as every bit as savage and predatory as the inmates and life behind bars depicted as a grim and dehumanizing ordeal for both parties. Roy Minton's hard-hitting script tackles such edgy issues as racism, corruption, homosexuality, and abuse of authority head on. The fine acting by the able cast qualifies as another significant asset, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Martin Phillips as the timid Davis, Davidson Knight as persecuted black inmate Angel, David Threlfall as insolent intellectual anarchist Archer, and Phil Daniels as loudmouth braggart Richards. John Wyatt's stark cinematography adds to the overall scrappy authenticity. Pretty strong stuff.
Director Alan Clarke does a masterful job of crafting an uncompromisingly gritty tone and pervasively bleak atmosphere of frightening complete brutality, with the prison staff coming across as every bit as savage and predatory as the inmates and life behind bars depicted as a grim and dehumanizing ordeal for both parties. Roy Minton's hard-hitting script tackles such edgy issues as racism, corruption, homosexuality, and abuse of authority head on. The fine acting by the able cast qualifies as another significant asset, with especially praiseworthy contributions from Martin Phillips as the timid Davis, Davidson Knight as persecuted black inmate Angel, David Threlfall as insolent intellectual anarchist Archer, and Phil Daniels as loudmouth braggart Richards. John Wyatt's stark cinematography adds to the overall scrappy authenticity. Pretty strong stuff.