Against Their Will (1994 TV Movie) User Reviews

Shallow, But Enjoyable Drama

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 4 September 2004]

The ex-convicted Alice Needham (Judith Light) is the mother of two teenagers sons and a young daughter, who presently has a straight life. However, she is unfairly accused of stealing some clothes in a department store, misguided by her lawyer and unfairly sent to prison again. There, she fights for her rights, and when she is on probation, she hires the honest and idealistic lawyer Jack Devlin (Stacy Keach) to defend the other women against the corruption in the prison. This movie is a shallow, but enjoyable drama. The story is full of good intentions, has a great message in the end (fight for your rights no matter where you are), but it is also very naive and hard to believe. The character of Alice is well constructed and shows a great personality, fighting for her rights, but all the other women have committed some sort of crime to be in jail. It does not give the right to the guards explore them, but the problem is that I found the story manipulative. Basically, the prisoners are presented like poor exploited saints, and the guards as corrupts and sex addicted. I liked it as a fictional drama, because in real life, I believe the events would be much different. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): 'Prisão de Mulheres' ('Prison of Women')

Under rated

[dan_happyhammer · 6/10 · 26 January 2003]

Whilst this movie is certainly no classic, I found it an enjoyable and watchable flick. None of the critics seem to agree with me, but as far as the TV movies go this was not at all bad. Judith Light was excellent in her role and the movie didn't always take itself too seriously. If its on TV again I recommend watching it.

Jane Doe #1 speaks

[diakennedy7 · 5/10 · 30 December 2006]

The movie didn't show and tell everything. I should know, I was there, I am Jane Doe #1. Life hasn't been easy since released after 25 years in there!It still happens. People are fast to judge those behind bars.Because of my coming forward my parole was denied 4 times. Only going through the courts did I gain freedom. If not for that I would still be in prison.Life for me will NEVER be the same.I carry this part of shame with me forever!So you see, its not about a movie its about human beings trying to live in hell for years. Most people could not come out of there and still be human.I pray each day for those still there.Sociaty thinks that all inmates lie, well, thats not so. Many people who have the power over others think that they are god and can do as they please.I have to pray for them also.The system does not always work. People need to be educated!

Judith's best since she won my heart on Who's the Boss

[erik-225 · 1 April 2004]

When this movie first began, I was a little teary-eyed to see Judith on the screen again. I thought that she looked particularly emaciated -- but I digress. The passion with which she played her character, Alice Needham, touched me in a way that I have not been touched since her breathtaking performance aside Tony Danza in "Who's the Boss".

The story of "Women in Prison" that this movie tells is at once compelling and painful; the struggles that these poor women face on a daily basis strike deep into the core of the plight of the incarcerated. I was horrified to learn of their forced sexual exploitations and immensely satisfied that Judith Light (Alice Needham) was able to destroy the needless corruption which sprang from the loins of the prison guards.

As an aside -- Is Judith a natural redhead? Because if not, KUDOS to her hairdresser. I was totally convinced.

6/10

Possibly the best Lifetime movie ever made

[ksmacy-2 · 5/10 · 2 September 2005]

When this movie opens, all one can think is, "Is Judith Light going to wear that horrible Little Orphan Annie wig throughout the entire movie?" The answer is yes. She works hard for her money in this Lifetime movie about an ex-addict and ex-convict set up by an ambitious attorney boyfriend who sends her back to the slamma'. Once there, she sees there have been some changes. What these changes are, it isn't really clear, but we trust that hardened criminal Light knows what she's talking about. Turns out, the guards are buying gifts for the inmates in exchange for sex. This doesn't sound too bad to me, because the women seem to have crushes on their guards. These courtships sour, though, when the guards take the sex if the gals don't give it up. There are other abuses too, I guess, but, as one of the guards says, "It's all about the sex." That's the beautiful thing about this movie, which had me frequently pausing to hug my pillow and scream with delight, "This is the best movie ever made! I love it! I love it! I love it!" All of the boring taking on the system parts are left out and all of the wonderful being impregnated by the guards, fighting in the cafeteria, and Judith singing "And the rock-ets red glare!" while being strapped down to a gurney parts are left in. At times, the film will just cut to her with blood on her face and we have no idea how it got there, nor do we care. You know you've got a great movie on your hands when Stacey Keach is a mere distraction. There are 3 (!) suicides – 2 fail, and the other might be a murder, the "suits" are hilarious, there are lesbians who just hug in the background, the music morphs is an impressive country riff, mouthy Judith twice gets in the way of men protective of their promotions, and a guard licks an inmate's face (also seen in T2, is this a thing that guards are into?). Another guard actually tells a girl to, "Respect my authoritah!" Other memorable quotes include:

"Before prison, I couldn't even change my lighter fluid. Now I'm making steel doors." "Pull up your pants and get back to work." "I forgot to thank you for the sneakers and panties." "What are you going to do for me Lawyer Lips." (I could've misheard this one, but I hope not.) "We've still got a long way to go." (Not funny until they for some reason burst into hysterical laughter about it.)

Watch it immediately.

A movie which shows the horrors of the modern prison system(possible spoilers)

[sweetlusciousangel · 9/10 · 26 June 2006]

The only portion of the previous comment I agree with is that the movie is good. The statements of "the guy hardly ever did anything" is entirely wrong. All throughout this film there are scenes of rape, beatings,coercion and forced medication on the part of the prison guards onto the general population. There is only one female guard in the entire prison so men are allowed to do as they wish to women who have been cast out of society for acting "unwomanly". It is a wonderful film and a true account of the horrors of the modern day prison system. We seem to hold the belief that when someone is incarcerated, guilty or not, whatever treatment they receive on "the inside" is something they deserve. What about respect for autonomy and human dignity? what about the concept of rehabilitation? We lock human beings up in cages like animals and subject them to constant inhuman treatment and wonder why upon release they wind up more violent and committed to a life of crime than they were upon entry. I wish more could see this film, perhaps it would give needed attention to a large problem hidden in plain sight.

This is in America....People need to know this story.....

[MarieGabrielle · 10/10 · 20 December 2005]

Judith Light is to be commended for her choice of projects; she is very good in the role of Alice, a single mother who is originally imprisoned for embezzlement, then sold out by her criminal defense lawyer; who,it turns out, made a crooked deal with a judge.

While the story is a bit convoluted about her actual prison record, she is sentenced to 5 years, even though I doubt this would occur, as she had minor non-violent crime (apparently).

Chelcie Ross is excellent as the bureaucratic warden, and there is a scene wherein Judith Light and he confront each other....Inmates are told they are human garbage as the prison guards rape and abuse them. Things like this go on in hospitals; so it is certainly believable that this occurs in prison. There is a scene where a suicidal inmate receives no medical attention, is restrained and hog-tied by 6 prison guards, and never sees a physician.

Stacey Keach portrays attorney Jackson Devlin, who finally brings this story national attention, with the help of Light's character, and many of the inmates, who are named "Jane Doe" in the class action lawsuit. They are anonymous so that their supposed "rights" are protected. Apparently, though, no one has any civil rights, and one guard named Stu is found dead, a staged suicide; he was murdered by one of the prison staff to protect their jobs.

At present, in the U.S. there are more people in prison than ever; the statistics are staggering; many mentally disabled and indigent are wrongfully imprisoned; they cannot afford a lawyer, so they rot in jail. Is this demoralizing treatment warranted?. It certainly does not make this society a better place to live; It also has been proved that executions are not a deterrent to crime.

If you liked this movie, you may also like "The Life of David Gale" with Kevin Spacey; there are many thought provoking arguments here, decide for yourself.

Excellent Movie!

[BreanneB · 10/10 · 11 July 2005]

I thought this was an excellent movie. I give it 10 out of 10 stars. Everything about it is great, acting, directing, production, script, music and storyline.

Spoilers Herein

The treatment in some of these women's prisons is unacceptable. They are criminals but they should still be treated humanly. Correcting people is not treating them nasty and doing inhuman things to them like in this movie. These things include rape, abuse, sodomy, the use of torture equipment and special privileges and gifts in exchange for sexual favors. This is extremely wrong. Kudos to the cast, crew and filmmakers. Two Thumbs Way Up!

interesting plot and strange twist

[raptorextirme · 8/10 · 20 August 2005]

I must say I was surprised when I saw this movie. I never would have thought it'd end the way it did but its a lifetime movie so it had to. It seems that all lifetime movies end on a good note for the women but that just seems to be a bit unfair I mean half the time the guy did nothing at all. I am glad that it worked out in the end but i had missed the middle of the movie so I can't give it a perfect score but it was good all the same. The movie was a good way to view how justice can be served when its needed. I never thought the twist would be the way it was. The movie was a good movie and had a good plot. I wish I had seen the middle of the movie. I mean I never expected the one scene when the one girl went up to the office to have happened. I'm sorry to say I have to give it an 8 out of 10.