Wasteman Review

Wasteman is Cal McMau’s directional debut, and already a critical darling after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Taylor (David Jonsson) has served 13 years in prison for drug dealing. He gets told that he’s eligible for early release due to good behaviour, and sets out to make amends with his 14-year-old son, Adam (Cole Martin). However, his early release is put into jeopardy because of his new cellmate, Dee (Tom Blyth), and Taylor is placed in the middle of a gang rivalry between Dee and the established big dog Robby (Neil Linpow).

Britain has a great history of prison fiction. The 1979 classic Scum lingers large over the genre, and there have been great films like Bronson, Hunger, and Starred Up. There have also been plenty of British prison TV in the form of Prisoner’s Wives, Time, and Screw. Wasteman can already stand with these films and challenge for the title of best British prison film.

Wasteman had a striking opening with mobile phone footage of Robby interrogating two prisoners about stolen drugs which ended up in brutal violence. This set the tone for the whole film. It was a grizzly, horrific film that showed prison to be hell on Earth. This film was made to be a critique of the current state of British prisons since they’re underfunded, overcrowded, and understaffed. Prisoners could run amok: they openly traded contraband, drug addiction was rife, drugs could be smuggled in by drones, and violence could be used to solve any problem. It was a powder keg because of all the violent offenders. The use of handheld cameras and mobile phone footage gave Wasteman a documentary feel. It did for prisons what Boiling Point did for restaurants and Adolescence did for schools. The trailer for Wasteman did make a point that its producer directed Boiling Point and Adolescence.

The prison could not rehabilitate prisoners, even though the purpose of the system. Even though Taylor was a non-violent offender, he was corrupted by the prison system. He became addicted to drugs because they were readily available, and he was looking for his next fix. Even though Taylor was on the cusp of being released, he had no support network, so the question arose as to where he would go. He was also liable to make stupid decisions that led to him being ensnared in traps, putting his son in danger.

Wasteman was filled with acting talent. Jonsson has proven himself in Rye Lane, Alien: Romulus, and The Long Walk, and he adds another great performance to his filmography. He was excellent as a desperate man who gets caught up in the war between Dee and Robby. On the other end of the spectrum, Blyth was brilliant at playing someone who was pure evil. He found a way to manipulate people into his bidding through gifts or threats and ensured Taylor was bound to him. Taylor was trapped with someone who bullied and controlled him. Blyth and Linpow were dominant presences as the two crime lords of the wing.

Whilst Wasteman was a socially conscious film, it acknowledged that many of the prisoners were indeed bad people. Throughout the film, there was a sense of tension. Violence could erupt at any time, and the illicit trade meant anything could go wrong: even a small thing like a phone call had an element of danger.

Wasteman was a fantastic debut film for its director, who made a film that was hard-hitting, compelling, and suspenseful, and it was complemented by a talented cast. It was a great modernisation of British prison movies.