A damning, swift kick to international justice systems, dealing with a young drug-smuggler (Brad Davis) who is dealt more than what he should be in his sentence to a Turkish prison, where he encounters torture on a daily basis and insanity creeping in ever so slowly. This is a phenomenal drama that rests firmly on the
shoulders of Davis, whose slow-burn performance is utterly gripping. At first you don't like this guy, he's just some punk kid who probably could use a lesson. However, as the film goes on and you begin to see the injustices that occur routinely, it is hard not to sympathize with this character. Sure, some of the events that occur in this movie might be a little overdone, but as a character study and as an exercise in how insanity takes over after a certain time period or traumatic event, this film is a stunning piece of work. Davis really makes this film, it is a shame he died at such a young age (41 in 1991), the man absolutely had a great talent, and he is the biggest reason as to why this film is as important as it is today when it comes to looking at prison systems.
November 10, 2011
