The situation escalates for Edward Furlong’s character ("Ron") when a seemingly simple drug arrest spirals into accusations of trafficking and a five-year sentence in federal prison. New to this world and completely unprepared, he’s destined to become an easy target among the other inmates. Luckily, Willem Dafoe portrays "Earl," a seasoned and weary prisoner who shows him compassion, offering protection that makes prison life slightly less harsh while Ron tries to persuade authorities of his deservingness for early release. However, I've encountered this storyline many times before, and this version doesn’t offer anything particularly special. The rest of the performers are forgettable, presenting a predictable assortment of defiant personalities alongside familiar portrayals of racism, prejudice, and intolerance within the prison walls—all leading to an ending that felt overly simplistic. Clocking in at ninety minutes, it dragged on longer than it should have, and neither the performances nor the writing managed to inject energy into the slow rhythm or truly establish a sense of realism. Steve Buscemi directed; I’m hoping his future projects will be more original.

Source on TMDB