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Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Damian Lewis, Liam Cunningham, Seu Jorge ... see more see more... , Dominic Cooper , Steven Mackintosh

A career criminal seeks redemption for himself, his family, and his friends by busting out of a penitentiary in this intelligent thriller. Frank (Brian Cox) is a criminal who was forced to leave his w... read more read more...ife and six-year-old daughter behind when he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Frank openly acknowledges he was guilty and has made his peace with life behind bars, but when he learns that a drug overdose has left his daughter seriously ill, he feels a powerful need to reconnect with his family, and his only option is to escape. Knowing he can't do it alone, Frank assembles a team from various factions of the prison population, including Viv (Seu Jorge), who makes and deals drugs from his cell; Lenny (Joseph Fiennes), a wiry tough guy who doesn't speak if he can avoid it; and Lacey (Dominic Cooper), Frank's new cellmate who is a white-collar criminal not cut out for prison life. Frank soon realizes if his plan is to work, he'll have to bring aboard some of the more dangerous and unpredictable members of the prison's community, including vicious and corrupt brothers Rizza (Damian Lewis) and Tony (Steven Mackintosh). The Escapist was the first feature film from writer and director Rupert Wyatt. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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62% liked it

14,187 ratings

Critics

66% liked it

44 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: Rupert Wyatt

Release Date: January 21, 2008

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DVD Release Date: January 26, 2010

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Stats: 657 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (657)

  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    I just finished watching this movie, and I am amazed on how it turned out. It definitely went a direction that I didn't expect, and I really like that. Great bunch of actors. Very well put together. Definitely NOT boring, Good movie!
  • Deano78
    December 15, 2009
    Deano78
    A pretty good Prison escape action film. Brian Cox is a very good actor, simple story done quite well. Might not be for everyone. It has quite a few flashbacks from present to past, and is a bit slow at times. However it's good seeing how it all unravels.
  • SirPant
    October 2, 2009
    SirPant
    Not a bad escape film. I'm not a big fan of Damian Lewis or Steven Mackintosh, and I really think they let this film down. Apart from those two, the cast is very good and Cox is brilliant as the lead. I'm not sure about the ending or the structure of the film but it is original a... read morend that's important in a film of this genre!
  • 76Majikat
    June 13, 2009
    76Majikat
    Brian Cox, Steven Mackintosh and Liam Cunningham are just a few talents who star in this British prison Drama.

    Set at a fairly slow pace, yet a high standard of acting that keeps your interest throughout. The flashbacks keep your mind focussed on the story at hand and this al... read morelows for a chance to get to know the characters individually.

    There was an element here which I feel was risky and brave, in that some of the Actors cast for the roles of the characters were in some senses, out of their usual comfort zones, particularly in the case of Damien Lewis, who seems an unlikely choice to play the King of the prison and yet all the characters worked really well and it was a risk which paid off.

    I would love to think that this one will be widely enjoyed and that, I will have to wait and see.
  • gor41
    February 14, 2009
    gor41
    Grimy prison break drama with a host of british thesps chewing the scenary. Original flash back construction disguises the twist well but the baddie characters were overplayed caricatures.
  • gator681
    April 5, 2009
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]In "The Escapist," in jail Frank Perry(Brian Cox) has just received the first letter from his family in fourteen years and it is not good news. His daughter, now 21, is a drug addict and has overdosed twice. Frank wants to break out to set matters straight.... read more Thinking he has found a way, he also enlists the help of Lenny Drake(Joseph Fiennes), a master thief, and his friend Brodie(Liam Cunningham) who knows the underground like the back of his hand. Complicating matters is Frank's new cellmate Lacey(Dominic Cooper).[/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]If you've seen one jail break/violent prison movie where the guards stand by and watch while the prisoners run things, then it is safe to say you've probably seen them all. The other cliche of relevance is if a prisoner's crime is not mentioned then one should not ask. We know Lenny is a thief but what about Frank? Well he's got a brain but he's not white collar, so I would guess armed robbery. [/font]
    [font=Century Gothic][/font]
    [font=Century Gothic]And there is little to separate "The Escapist" from the pack but luckily it is enough. First off, there is a superb cast, especially Brian Cox in the lead and Damian Lewis exuding menace while saying very little. Second, there are some scenes stylishly shot in the escape(shown in flashforwards), which left me wondering if more of that would have helped the movie. And there is a trick ending which arguably does nothing to alter the course of events, adding a bit to the ample spiritual symbolism already on display.[/font]
  • fb704730572
    May 7, 2012
    fb704730572
    A very well executed, original, and ambitious prison drama, full of great performances all around, especially from the criminally underrated Brian Cox. The prison atmosphere is captured well, dark, gritty, and depressing; the film did a great job conveying a sense of realism. The... read more filmmakers do perhaps become too self indulgent at the end, but the middle 2/3 are so strong, that the ending is more of an interesting misfire than something that really takes away, significantly, from the film. Above all, it's tense throughout, smart, and done well.

    4/5 Stars
  • cinemaniac100
    August 2, 2011
    cinemaniac100
    The Escapist.
    Prison-break flick, but with a twist.

    Even though I'm just partial to prison movies, I was hoping this would have something to set it apart from all the others. To be brief: Yup.
    This is a cheerful Yup, cheerful because The Escapist decided to slap father time ... read moreacross the face and follow the story of the actual escape simultaneously with its setup. To not give anything away, I'll just say this method of storytelling fits perfectly with, well, the story.
    Brian Cox was awesome (is it me or is he in every movie ever?), and hey who knew he'd ever actually use his Scottish accent on camera. The cast overall was impressive and it was chilling to see Winters (Band of Bros all the way!!!) as a creeper jail warden
    The score is also very distinct and fit well, in fact a great way to describe The Escapist is that everything simply 'fits'. I was very afraid to be left unsatisfied (*Donnie Darko ending reaction face here*), but ultimately the payoff, in my opinion, worked tremendously.

    Why 80%?
    Because a top-notch cast, mixed with a well-defined musical, cinematographic, and editing style make for an overall compelling prison escape movie. Some minor funks, no major flaws.

    Extra: Prison movies... they are so awesome! I must recommend a French film called "Un Prophète", this is possibly the greatest prison movie I've seen, and yes I've seen both The Great Escape and The Shawshank Redemption. I also love The Green Mile and American History X. Any recommendations?

    Did you find this mildly amusing? Follow me on Twitter!
  • lesleyanorton
    July 6, 2009
    lesleyanorton
    Prison escape drama. The twist was great!
  • fb20312798
    April 18, 2009
    fb20312798
    The "twist" made me so angry, it was ridiculous and the worst possible way to end the story. I was mostly mad because the rest of the film was so dark and gritty. It seemed to be one of the better prison break movies and Brian Cox's performance is a thing of subtle beauty. It's a... read morelso part of the indie wave of films from the UK that are low budget down and dirty stories that are usually enjoyable. The ending didn't totally ruin it for me, but I wanted more realism.

View All The Escapist Reviews

Critic Reviews

Ben Mankiewicz
April 6, 2009
Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies

The movie was written specifically for Brian Cox, and it's a great fit. Full Review

Ben Lyons
April 6, 2009
Ben Lyons, At the Movies

This is down and dirty and raw. Full Review

Joe Neumaier
April 3, 2009
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

The splintered viewpoints help with the monotony, but from the taunting of new inmates to the cell-block sadist, we've gone through all this before, right down to the final twists. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
April 3, 2009
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

Too much of this movie about prison feels only like a movie about prison, with actors posing and directors getting poetic. Full Review

Jeannette Catsoulis
April 3, 2009
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

Shapes a standard prison-break drama into a metaphysical study of freedom and reparation. Full Review

Rex Reed
April 1, 2009
Rex Reed, New York Observer

The prison escape movie -- a tired genre -- gets some fresh energy in The Escapist, a compelling, carefully written and totally gripping film from the U.K. that is acted with naturalism and conviction... Full Review

Jean Oppenheimer
April 1, 2009
Jean Oppenheimer, Village Voice

A taut thriller that ends on a note of unexpected grace, the British prison drama The Escapist marks the impressive feature debut for director/co-writer Rupert Wyatt. Full Review

Robert Koehler
January 24, 2008
Robert Koehler, Variety

[Star Brian] Cox calmly registers ranges of steely determination, fatherly care and regret-filled sadness with great authority. Full Review

Stephen Farber
January 23, 2008
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter

All of this mayhem keeps us watching, but it would be hard to describe the experience as pleasurable.

Don Groves
January 3, 2011
Don Groves, sbs.com.au

Prison drama breaks all the rules - and wins. Full Review

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    • Frank Perry: If I had my time again, if I could start over like re-reading this book, there'd be someone I'd sit down and talk to. I'd talk some sense into him, tell him how things really are. But I can't. That man's long gone, and I'm all that's left.
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  • He has played Harry in ?Insomnia? (1998), Ricky Barnes in ?The Escapist? (2001) and Pvt. Thomas Quinn in ?Deathwatch? (2002).   Answer »
  • Which actor was involved in all these projects: Shakespeare In Love Elizabeth Luther Running with Scissors The Escapist  Answer »
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