- Director: Cal McMau
- Screenplay: Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran
- Cast: David Jonsson, Tom Blyth
- Cinematography: Lorenzo Levrini
- Editing: James A. Demetriou
- Score: Forest Swords
- Genre: Prison drama
- Runtime: 90 minutes
Only a handful of days before he’s eligible for release, Taylor (David Jonsson) is slowly preparing for life on the other side of prison walls. He’s served thirteen years inside, with a son he last saw when he was a baby. On the cusp of freedom comes a new cellmate, the rowdy Dee (Tom Blyth). Taylor’s second crack at societal integration is jeopardised by Dee, who clashes with his fellow prisoners with regard to who runs the prison drug trade.
In the middle of a narcotics-driven turf war, for Taylor (who is a user himself), a feeling of anxious loyalty arises. Dee lets Taylor borrow his smuggled-in cellphone and uses his outside world contacts to arrange for new shoes to be delivered to Taylor’s son. Though Dee is far from an angel and one false move could change everything. Taylor is in such a precarious position.
Life behind bars is no picnic. It’s a hellish environment with the threat of imminent violence hanging in the air. Any weakness is sniffed out a mile away. Cal McMau’s direction perfectly captures the grittiness and turbulence of what occurs in a men’s jail. A small portion is filmed on a phone, giving it an immersive and raw quality.
A lean 90 minute runtime demonstrates as much brutality as we need to see, packing an almighty punch and never letting up in its roughness. Jonsson and Blyth are equally riveting in their roles. If you were ever tempted to break the law for whatever reason, let ‘Wasteman‘ be your deterrent.
My rating: 8 / 10
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