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Animal Factory

Play trailer Poster for Animal Factory R 2000 1h 30m Drama Crime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
83% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Suburbanite Ron (Edward Furlong) is spoiled, young and not overly worried about the marijuana charges leveled against him. But, after being made out to be a drug dealer, he faces a five-year jail sentence in San Quentin State Prison. Physically frail and unaccustomed to his rough surroundings, Ron is primed to fall victim to sexual predators and bullying guards -- that is, until he's befriended by Earl (Willem Dafoe), a veteran inmate who finds meaning in protecting the vulnerable new kid.
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Animal Factory

Animal Factory

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Critics Consensus

Animal Factory is an honest attempt at a humanizing prison drama that stumbles with its performances but Buscemi's ambitious directing makes up for it.

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Critics Reviews

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Stephanie Zacharek Salon.com Dec 19, 2001
You come away with the sense that you should have come to care (or at least to know) more about its central characters than you do. Go to Full Review Amy Taubin Village Voice Aug 17, 2001
It's the relationship between Willem Dafoe, as Earl, the hard-time veteran, and Edward Furlong, as Ron, the new boy he takes under his wing, that makes the film so compelling. Go to Full Review Ernest Hardy Film.com Jan 1, 2000
The bleakness and myriad cruelties of the prison system are telegraphed with a graceful touch. Go to Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Sep 2, 2020
3.5/4.0
Tom Arnold deserves uncomfortable kudos as the kind of sexual predator you hear about in prisons but hope you never encounter. Go to Full Review C.H. Newell Father Son Holy Gore May 5, 2019
4.5/5
An indictment of how we treat the lives of men deemed guilty and shipped to prison where they're packed in like sardines and forgotten about until their next court date. Go to Full Review Michael Dequina TheMovieReport.com Jan 17, 2010
2/4
The opaque performances offer little in the way of shading. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C @bob25009 Mar 14, 2026 The worldwide gross is $43,805.00, less than the budget of $3,600,000.00. See more Sage C @RT23443482 Dec 20, 2024 This movie was not overlooked, it just does not cut or resemble what people will compare it to. If you're looking for a terrible way for a movie to end, this is so for you! So much potential, crushed unlike the garbage at the end. See more B L @RT46766480 Mar 29, 2024 Definitely a dude movie, total entertainment! See more jwcdood @jwcdood Nov 27, 2023 Excellent flick that covers the bases of incarcerated society, ANIMAL FACTORY is very well cast, directed and produced with Willem Dafoe in the role of the main character. For comparisons [but with a considerably more violent theme], FELON is another movie in the same genre that is very similar. ANIMAL FACTORY is an excellent movie! See more David H Sep 24, 2023 Really good film. Flew under the radar in terms of the mainstream as its not talked about at all. Massively overlooked. See more Colin M @RT35044827 May 20, 2023 Interesting American male prison drama. See more Read all reviews
Animal Factory

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Cast & Crew

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Steve Buscemi

Director

Willem Dafoe

Earl Copen

Edward Furlong

Ron Decker

Seymour Cassel

Lt. Seeman

Mickey Rourke

Jan

Steve Buscemi

A.R. Hosspack

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Animal Factory

Animal Factory (2000) Animal Factory (2000) Animal Factory (2000) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Suburbanite Ron (Edward Furlong) is spoiled, young and not overly worried about the marijuana charges leveled against him. But, after being made out to be a drug dealer, he faces a five-year jail sentence in San Quentin State Prison. Physically frail and unaccustomed to his rough surroundings, Ron is primed to fall victim to sexual predators and bullying guards -- that is, until he's befriended by Earl (Willem Dafoe), a veteran inmate who finds meaning in protecting the vulnerable new kid.
Director
Steve Buscemi
Producer
Julie Yorn, Elie Samaha, Steve Buscemi, Andrew Stevens
Screenwriter
Edward Bunker, John Steppling
Production Co
Animal Productions LLC
Rating
R
Genre
Drama, Crime
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2017
Runtime
1h 30m
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