Locked Up

This 2004 film, made in Germany, was directed by Jorg Andreas and stars two relatively newcomers as lovers in a prison. When you get passed the improbability of the situation, allowing two gay men to share a cell together, it's really not a bad movie. The two leads, Marcel Schlutt, an absolutely gorgeous gay man playing a gay man, imagine that, and Mike Seal as his black lover, bring a fresh almost natural performance. They work well together and the sexual scenes are quite provocative. The scene in the shower, won't tell you what, was quite realistic and brutal. This is a small film and shouldn't be overlooked. Schlutt should get more work from this. He's that good. His interview is a riot.

This film is about the life of a young gay man who has been sentenced to prison for credit card fraud. In prison, he meets the love of his life and strives to maintain the relationship.

The film obviously has a very low budget. From the state of the set, the number of actors, lack of cinematography and soundtrack shows the incredibly low budget.

The plot is so unbelievable. I know it is an erotic fantasy, but still it is laughably unrealistic. Everyone in the prison, including the guards are gay! Prison guards spying on the inmates' gay sex...that's not very likely to happen in the real world.

The dialog is bad. The acting is bad, apart from the lead actor Marcel Schlutt. He is the only one who showed acting skills in the whole movie. All other characters are unable to handle more than 2 lines of script.

The film tries not to be viewed as porn, so it has no hardcore sex scenes. However, it is filled with various fantasies, including spit, power and submission. Oh there was conveniently a scene of a man pissing down the toilet. It is a scene which could have been cut out, and was not because of the sexual appeal.

Though the thought of a gay romance story in the prison is appealing and even a turn on for some people, this film fails to ignite in any aspect.

In this case, the significances of the term "reasonable" are many . From the expected prison atmosphere, more a sketch, and the portrait of a forbidden relation - so familiar- to the brutal graphic scenes. From violence, in different forms, to the image of self discover.Yes, it is just that kind of film - easy dialogue, easy story, sex scenes as axis . But it has the virtue to try be little more, with reasonable succes. The romance is more significant than sex scenes, the pornography is not more than price to attract some kind of public, Mike Sale and Marcel Schlutt are good options for the roles and the delicacy of relation remains touching. A reasonable film ,mayb provocative for few reasons, giving the fair story, acting and romance.The sin - maybe the end who can be too much , against its poetry. The good points- Ulrike Schirm

I was reluctant to watch this film because I have never enjoyed films about men in prison. Though brilliant , "Midnight Express" still haunts me and the repellent treatment of homosexuality in "Fortune in Men's Eyes" made me steer clear of this genre. The only other prison film with a "gay:" subtext that I have enjoyed was "Kiss of the Spider Woman" That said, this little German film, "Locked Up", was a rather tender and provocative gay love story. Filmed on video, in an apparent real prison, this film struck me as quite entertaining. The two leads are very good actors and even though it has a somewhat unbelievable ending, I liked it. WARNING SPOILER.............This film has a few graphic scenes that take it close to porn. There is a lot of male on male nudity and a real masturbation sequence. There is also a very graphic rape scene, which, if it had not been integral to the plot line, could never have been acceptable to any audience. Now that doesn't mean all viewers will appreciate this film. No this little hummer is not for the weak at heart or the homophobic. In the end it manages to be quite a charmer. The oddest thing about this film is not the bi-racial love story of the two male leads, but the hauntingly beautiful sound track, which somehow manages to be romantic, meaningful, and surprisingly "new age". The music, coupled with the hideously depressing and stark prison ambiance, raises the emotional impact of this film. It actually brightens up the story line and the romance between the two male leads. Definitely not for everyone. However, if you like the new "Gay Cinema", and enjoy film in general,this little odd duck of a movie will shock, entertain, and bring a tear to the eye as well. 31/2 out of 5 stars.....Clive2

This film was made by a company that usually makes (gay) porn-movies. It shows in the level of the dialogues (acted out a bit weirdly, most actors apparently aren't used to so many words) and the relative explicity of the sex-scenes. (but it never does become porn, it just seems to lack shame).

In spite of all this it is a nice and very romantic drama, that's worth watching. Though the strange dialogues sometimes make one laugh unintendedly, the story keeps being appealing.

I think Marcel Schlutt is to credit for this mostly. He's not just another pretty face (though he is very beautiful) but he acts convincingly even in the most corny-written scenes.

This guy deserves better movies! (anything from action thriller to romantic comedy seems possible).