Furlough (2018)

When an inmate is granted one weekend out of prison to see her dying mother, a rookie correction officer struggles to keep her under control.

Director:

Laurie Collyer

Writer:

Barry Strugatz

Stars:

Melissa Leo, Tessa Thompson, Edgar Ramírez

Cast

Credited cast:
Melissa Leo	...	Joan Anderson
Tessa Thompson	...	Nicole Stevens
Edgar Ramírez	...	Kevin Rivera
Erik Griffin	...	Warden Borden
Drena De Niro	...	Linda
La La Anthony	...	Brandy
Damien Lemon	...	Michael Evans
Suzanne Shepherd	...	Elizabeth Anderson
Michael Chernus	...	Bus Driver
Dolly Wells	...	SA Group Leader
Anna Paquin	...	Lily Benson
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Moms
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lorenzo Beronilla	...	Clerk / Train Ticket Counter
Jerry Dean	...	AA Leader
Jennifer Delora	...	AA Member with Attitude

Storyline

When an inmate is granted one weekend out of prison to see her dying mother, a rookie correction officer struggles to keep her under control.

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Plot Keywords:

mother | 

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Taglines:

There are pros and cons to every relationship.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a brief sexual reference

Did You Know?

Trivia

This marks the second time that Whoopi Goldberg and Tessa Thompson played mother and daughter on screen. They also played mother and daughter in Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls

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Soundtracks

I Want Love and Affection (Not the House of Correction)
Performed by Nathaniel Mayer
Written by Nathaniel Mayer
Published by Trianon Publications (BMI)
Courtesy of Fortune Records
By Arrangement with Westwood Music Group

User Reviews

Humour Falls Flat and Plot is Full of Contrivances

A young, struggling part-time correctional officer gets the chance to become full-time by escorting a prisoner to her mother's deathbed. She is obviously supposed to learn something from the experience of trying to chaperone an unruly but older prisoner. Instead of a script that might let them learn or bond, instead it's a series of scenes with them simply sitting together as they travel.

Unfortunately, it feels as if the plot gets elements added to it to make it difficult. Most of what occurs in the trip seems to happen for no good reason, except to create situations where the inmate can escape, at least temporarily? Why, for example, would they be forced to take a bus and then a train to the mother (but then quickly return via rental car)? Why does the phone of the officer constantly ring or receive texts? Why do romantic interests appear and disappear as if put on the screen like chess pieces?

In short, I wanted to like this movie but it seems a mess, and I kept wondering how much Whoopie Goldberg and Anna Paquin were paid for what must have been 2 days of shooting each (if that). The humour really doesn't work - painfully so. The script is dull at best, and the tone is sometimes too mournful for it's own good. If you are a fan of Orange is the New Black, any episode you've seen is better than this.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 March 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Furlough

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$8,472

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,472

Company Credits

Production Co:

EFC Films, Furlough Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1