Felon (2008)

A family man convicted of killing an intruder must cope with life afterward in the violent penal system.

Director:

Ric Roman Waugh

Writer:

Ric Roman Waugh

Stars:

Stephen Dorff, Marisol Nichols, Vincent Miller

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stephen Dorff	...	Wade Porter
Marisol Nichols	...	Laura Porter
Vincent Miller	...	Michael Porter
Anne Archer	...	Maggie
Larnell Stovall	...	Viper
Val Kilmer	...	John Smith
Sam Shepard	...	Gordon
Johnny Lewis	...	Snowman
Harold Perrineau	...	Lt. Jackson
Shawn Prince	...	Todd Jackson
Chris Browning	...	Danny Samson
Nick Chinlund	...	Sgt. Roberts
Greg Serano	...	Officer Diaz
Jake Walker	...	Warden Harris
Nate Parker	...	Officer Collins

Storyline

A family man, Wade Porter, is living the American Dream with his girlfriend Laura and their son Michael: they have a nice house, he has just raised a loan to make his company grow and they are going to get married. However their dream becomes a nightmare when Wade unintentionally kills a burglar that had broken into their house in the middle of the night on his lawn. He is sent to trial and accepts a deal proposed by the prosecutor, being sentenced to three years in prison. During the transportation, there is an incident in the bus and Wade is framed and sent to the maximum security wing under the command of the corrupt Lieutenant Jackson. His cell-mate John Smith that was sentenced to life after avenging the death of his family befriends Wade and gives helpful advice and instills hope in Wade that he will return to his family.

---

Plot Keywords:

prison | nightmare | evil man | shower | fight | 

---

Taglines:

No Rules. No Hope. No Way Out.

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brutal violence, pervasive language and brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 July 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Criminal

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,900,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,900, 18 July 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$36,756, 28 July 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Stage 6 Films,Tucker Tooley Entertainment,Pantry Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on actual atrocities at Corcoran State Prison.

---

Goofs

You can see the white tape covering the Tropicana logo on the No Pulp Orange Juice container when they are having breakfast.

---

Quotes

Wade Porter: [to Laura] Stay in this room.

---

Connections

Followed by Shot Caller (2017)

User Reviews

A very accomplished movie

It's really nice to stumble upon good movies when you don't expect it. Nowadays, we are becoming more and more guided by the marketing that goes behind the movies, to realize when we actually go see them that we are often left unsatisfied.

Felon is a movie about a man who is working hard to create a life for himself and his family, he has worked hard to establish his own business and feels as though he is finally ready to start reaping the fruits of his labour. Then, life brings a unexpected twist and he finds himself in prison. From this point on, we see transformations of a man who is forced into a new world where he has no control.

This movie is a great glimpse of the extreme conditions that the American correctional system can create. It also displays very well how people can get corrupted by power. All the actors in this movie shine and portray perfectly their characters. The story is very well told and by the end of the movie, you are left reflecting on how the correctional system has so many flaws and how it drives people to become their worst, both as inmates and as guards. However, the film also shows that even in these circumstances, there are great acts of humanity and compassion.

A very good movie, definitely worth the watch. 8/10.