Prison is a place where people’s destinies often change. Life within four walls breaks someone, someone finds the strength to repent, and someone cannot come to terms and is looking for an opportunity to escape. In any case, watching films about life in prison, we can trace the significant metamorphoses of the characters, plunge into their experiences and try to understand their psychology.
Hunger (2008)
The plot of the film takes place in one of the Irish prisons. Prisoners are demanding changes to their conditions of detention, in particular, the opportunity not to work, to organize their own leisure time and to receive parcels. They have already tried many methods of protest. They refused to wash themselves and did not want to wear prison clothes, but this only led to dirty cells without producing any results.
But Bobby Sands decided to use a different tactic. His main idea was to refuse food. The fast was supposed to lead not only to the approval of the prisoners’ demands, but also had the goal of fulfilling a super task: to recognize all Irish Republican prisoners as political prisoners or prisoners of war, and not criminals.
Prophet (2009)
19-year-old Frenchman of Algerian origin Malik El Djeben was sentenced to six years in prison for attacking police officers. Illiterate, without friends, family or faith, compared to other prisoners, the guy seems the most vulnerable.
Everything changes when Luciano, the leader of a powerful gang of Corsicans, decides to entrust Malik with a series of dangerous and risky missions. Each task strengthens the guy, and very soon he starts his own game.
The Last Castle (2001)
General Eugene Irwin served his country brilliantly for many years, but that did not save him from trial when he disobeyed orders from his superiors and a military operation did not go as planned. Irwin’s sentence was 10 years in a maximum security prison located in the castle and run by Colonel Winter.
Resigned, the officer entered the prison walls with the sole intention of serving his sentence and returning home. But there he makes a shocking discovery: prisoners are being killed in cold blood in prison. And Colonel Winter himself is behind these bloody crimes.
Dead Man Walking (1995)
Prisoner Matthew is sentenced to death for a brutal murder. He chooses a nun as his spiritual mentor. Sister Helen Prejean wants Matthew to repent and receive absolution. But gradually the relationship between Matthew and Helen turns into something completely different.
Convinced that the person is not guilty of what he did, she tries to abolish the death penalty, visits the relatives of the victims and the prisoner’s family. However, the appeal to abolish the death penalty is rejected.
Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
Alcatraz is a legendary prison, which for twenty-nine years was considered the most reliable in the United States. A prison from which it is impossible to escape. Famous thieves, swindlers were imprisoned there, and even Al Capone himself was honored to serve his sentence within its walls.
But one fine day, bank robber Frank Morris crossed the threshold of this terrible prison. He managed to debunk the usual myth by planning and executing a grandiose and daring escape from Alcatraz.
Sleepers (1996)
The events of the film take place in New York in the 60s of the twentieth century. The plot centers on four friends – Lorenzo, Thomas, John and Michael, who grow up in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. One day their prank led to serious consequences.
By a court decision, they were sent to a children’s correctional facility, where they were to spend from 12 to 18 months and they finally said goodbye to childhood. After all, the guards who maintain order among the teenage prisoners were prone to sadism. Returning home, the guys wanted only one thing: justice. And they had their own views on how to achieve it.
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
A respectable family man, entrepreneur and law-abiding citizen named Clyde Sheldon suddenly loses everything that mattered to him. Criminals brutally kill his family. The justice system fails the moment the public prosecutor makes a deal with criminals. Murderers receive three years in prison instead of the death sentence.
Clyde has two options left: go crazy or take revenge on the criminals. Thanks to his intelligence and desire to demonstrate the depravity of the existing system, he personally carries out reprisals against the murderers. A law-abiding citizen begins a merciless war against everyone.
Hurricane (1999)
Since childhood, Rubin Carter’s life has not been easy. This African American, a famous boxer in the 50s and 60s, had to endure many amazing ups and terrible downs, which made his life worthy of the attention of movie lenses.
In 1966, he was the leading contender for the middleweight championship, but he was accused of a terrible crime and sentenced to three life sentences. And only twenty years after his imprisonment, the struggle for his release begins.
Stone (2010)
The film tells the story of jailer Jack Mebry, who faithfully carries out his duties for many years. A dedicated family man and a “good cop,” he always helped repentant criminals get their freedom.
But his life turns into a living hell with the arrival of prisoner Stone. Stone does not want to while away his best years in a prison cell, and he intends to get out from behind bars. He will do anything for this, and Jack is his last chance.
Lock Up (1989)
Frank Leone has less than six months left in prison, and he intends to serve his sentence without entering into a new conflict with the law. He is an exemplary prisoner, but some jailers still remember his escape, which ended with an additional sentence for Frank and a ruined career as the director of the colony.
And now Drumgul, a real dictator in the colony, whose orders are unquestioningly carried out by guards and prisoners, wants Frank to stay within the walls of the prison as long as possible.