Stranger Inside (2001) (TV)

Director:

Cheryl Dunye

Writers:

Catherine Crouch (writer)
Cheryl Dunye (writer)

Release Date:

23 June 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A mother daughter reunion set in the harsh reality of a women's correctional facility |

Plot Keywords:

Female Criminal | Mother Daughter Relationship | Sadness | Knife Fight | Gay Lead Character

Awards:

9 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Yolonda Ross	...	Treasure
Davenia McFadden	...	Brownie
Rain Phoenix	...	Kit
Ella Joyce	...	Doodle Alderidge
Conchata Ferrell	...	Mama Cass
Lee Garlington	...	Warden Arnold
LaTonya 'T' Hagans	...	Shadow (as LaTonya T Hagans)
Medusa	...	Leisha
Marc Vann	...	Nelson
Almayvonne	...	Scar (as AlmaYvonne Dixon)
Mary Mara	...	Tanya
Karina Logue	...	Fran
Emily Kuroda	...	Min
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Angela Kay Anderson	...	Group Therapy Women
Jenica Bergere	...	Teresa
Verda Bridges	...	Sabrina
Patrice Fisher	...	Sugar
Dee Freeman	...	Group Therapy Women
Amanda LeFlore	...	Rosita
Tanya Little	...	Skanky Ho
Sandy Martin	...	Mrs. Johnny Cochran (as Sandra Martin)
Billy Mayo	...	Clayton
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Group Therapy Women
Tracy Mostovoy	...	Group Therapy Women
Katrina Phillips	...	New Inmate
George Sharperson	...	Leaonard (Correctional Officer)
Ava Stander	...	Weave
Elayn Taylor	...	Nurse
Claudia Timaan	...	Group Therapy Women

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:MA (TV rating)

Company:

C-Hundred Film Corporation

Goofs:

Factual errors: The manner in which Shadow uses her pinhole camera is incorrect. For example, when she takes the picture of Treasure, she removes the cover from the pinhole and leaves the pinhole uncovered for a much longer period of time than required (correct time is 2-3 seconds vs. the 15-20 seconds "Shadow" leaves the pinhole uncovered). In addition, she leaves the pinhole uncovered until Treasure turns and walks away from her, and only then does she cover the pinhole. When we see that picture later, it is a perfectly developed, non-blurry picture of Treasure standing still, facing Shadow. First, the picture would've been extremely overexposed, quite possibly nothing but dark gray or black. Second, the picture would've been blurry from the fact that Treasure didn't just move, she turned and walked away before the pinhole was closed.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2003 IFP Independent Spirit Awards (2003) (TV)

no ordinary women need apply!

Compelling watching and some terrific performances. A storyline that kept up the interest and camera work that knew how to caress its subjects. So what's my gripe? After several days' thinking about it, I have to conclude it was lesbian fantasy more than the realistic drama it claims to be. Treasure had beauty and impact and I LOVED Shadow's mobile face - but we might as well have been watching two teenage boys - theirs was a lean male beauty. And as for Brownie!! Great performance but why did she also have to have the physique of a man -- a squat brutal one in this case? There wasn't any sense that we were watching ordinary women in a terrible predicament. And had none of them men or children on the outside? Where was their history? That older woman in group session was almost stuck in to compensate for the lack of all that. Secondly I agree that Treasure's brooding impassive personality prevented us from knowing her thoughts and really feeling for her and in the end robbed the film of emotional impact.