Animal Factory

Ron Decker (Edward Furlong) is a young man that is arrested for drug dealing and is sent to prison. Once there he has an hard time adapting to the life behind bars: however he is taken under the wing of Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe), an older convict that helps him in practically everything he needs and lets him join his gang. Most of the movie is just Ron hanging out with Earl's gang, life in the penitentiary and the escape attempts leading to the final one.

At times the movie was grim but the actors' performances (Dafoe, Furlong, Danny Trejo, Tom Arnold in a rare villainous role, Mickey Rourke as a cross-dresser) were so good that out-weighted the film's shortcomings. Steve Buscemi is a fine actor but here as a director looks out of his element. While not outstanding, just an ok prison movie.

Ron Decker (Edward Furlong) is busted for dealing marijuana. He comes from privilege, but the court is determined to make an example out of him, to prove that they show no favouritism among criminals. Shortly after his arrival in prison, he's able to make the acquaintance of Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe), a veteran convict who takes Ron under his wing.

As anybody familiar with the late actor / writer / former convict Edward Bunker could expect, this simply drips with authenticity. Director Steve Buscemi opts to go for gritty realism, and achieves it masterfully. He doesn't concern himself with being flashy or stylistic, and creates an utterly convincing environment. What's commendable about "Animal Factory" is that it goes for more nuance than one might expect, and doesn't merely deal in stereotypes when it comes to the convict characters. Buscemi also fills the cast with an excellent ensemble of his peers. He filmed this at the actual Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.

Furlong is just right in his role; he's no wide eyed innocent, for sure; his character is no stereotype, either. But it's Dafoe who will command the viewers' attention. He performs with a subtle level of intensity and charisma. You can believe in Earl as a pivotal figure in this prison. An unrecognizable Mickey Rourke plays Rons' transvestite cellmate, and does it with a refreshing lack of exaggeration. The sterling group of actors also includes Danny Trejo, himself a former jailbird who made good (Trejo and Bunker are co-producers as well), Mark Boone Junior, Seymour Cassel, Tom Arnold, John Heard, Chris Bauer, J.C. Quinn, Larry Fessenden, and Buscemi himself.

There's no melodrama here. Everything is appreciably under stated. Straightforward filming of Bunkers' novel and efficient storytelling make this a fine bit of entertainment.

Seven out of 10.

I liked Animal Factory, not really because it pays homage to Shawshank Redemption, but simply because of how dark and gritty the film is in portraying prison life. Violent, unnerving, shocking at times but still it holds a message that we house these people in prisons with poor quality with the real animals. Young offenders put in with experienced and hardened prisoners who manipulate them.

My only issue was the duration of the film, I kinda get critical of short films especially ones I really enjoy and don't want to finish too quickly. I can't criticise the performances, as its one the strongest suits of the film with both Dafoe and Furlong. However to me it was Wiilem Dafoe who stole the screen for me, as to me he is an amazing actor. In the film, he portrayed a real down to earth man who had years of experience.

All in all Animal Factory is an unknown film, but it more than made up for it in many ways. Had it not gone straight to DVD, and actually had some advertising and screened in cinemas it could have made a tidy profit. If you like your prison dramas, gritty and dark Animal Factory is your kind of thing.

As a fan of Steve Buscemi's underrated 'Trees Lounge', his acting, and of many of his co-stars in this movie, I eagerly anticipated watching 'Animal Factory'. I thought it was going to be a confronting and violent prison story, mainly because of the involvement of Edward Bunker ('Runaway Train', 'Reservoir Dogs'), who adapts his own novel (with the help of scriptwriter John Steppling, who also co-wrote the excellent '52 Pick-Up'). However, the movie was a lot more low key, character driven and less confrontational than I had expected. Even so, it's still very good.

Buscemi himself only has a small acting role in the movie (as does Bunker), the real stars being Willem Dafoe ('Light Sleeper', ) as a savvy long term convict, and Edward Furlong ('Pecker') as the young inmate who becomes his protege. Dafoe and Furlong are supported by an impressive cast of character actors, including Buscemi cronies Seymour Cassel ('Rushmore'), Mark Boone, Jr ('Memento') and the late Rockets Redglare ('Down By Law'), all 'Trees Lounge' veterans, ex-con tough guy Danny Trejo ('Heat'), John Heard ('After Hours'), and impressive cameos from Tom Arnold ('True Lies') as a psycho rapist, and Mickey Rourke ('Barfly') as a flamboyant transvestite. Rourke, one of the finest actors of his generation, will hopefully get his career back on track if the solid work he displays here and his notable cameo in 'The Pledge' is anything to go by.

'Animal Factory' is a first rate effort from Buscemi, who joins Sean Penn and Vincent Gallo as the most promising actors turned directors currently making American movies. More power to him, and I hope his next project makes it to the screen sometime soon. In today's current climate of cinematic mediocrity and childish blockbusters we need more film makers like them with passion, intelligence and integrity.

Steve Buscemi's first feature as director was Trees Lounge, an engaging drama about the bored, alcohol-drenched inhabitants of a small town, and their day-to-day interactions. For his second, Buscemi explores many of the same themes of aimlessness and having too much time on your hands, but changes the setting and tone entirely. Adapting Eddie Bunker's novel of the same name (the real- life ex-con also shares script writing duties with John Steppling), Animal Factory is about as unglamorous as prison drama gets. With a heightened sense of realism, violence and rape lurk at every turn, often happening so quickly that you barely have the chance to comprehend it. Buscemi and Bunker also find time to explore an engaging father-and-son relationship, albeit one taut with tension and distrust.

After receiving an incredibly harsh sentence for drug possession, young Ron Decker (Edward Furlong) is packed off to prison where his youthful looks quickly attracts unwanted attention. Proving himself to be completely ill-equipped to handle the danger he faces, he is taken in by the shaven-headed Earl Copen (Willem Dafoe), who teaches him the ropes and how to spot a threat. A man of little physical prowess, Earl has risen to a position of authority by using his background in law to improve the living and working standards of his fellow inmates. Surrounded by his gang of trusted bruisers (including Danny Trejo, Mark Boone Junior, and The Wire's Chris Bauer), Earl promises to protect the vulnerable Ron. Pondering Earl's true intentions, Ron at first keeps the smiling convict at arm's length, until a bond is formed that just may help the young offender to make it out alive.

By shaping the drama in the most unsensational way imaginable, Buscemi adds the necessary grit to Bunker's knowing words, with many of Bunker's novels taking inspiration from his own time in the slammer. Performances impress across the board, as you would expect from an ensemble taking direction from such a seasoned pro (who also appears). In particular, there are memorable roles for Mickey Rourke, playing Furlong's motor-mouthed, transvestite cell-mate, and, of all people, Tom Arnold, who is unnervingly convincing as a predatory rapist with his eye on Ron. But the film belongs to its two leads. Dafoe brings extra layers to his somewhat sensitive gang leader, and Furlong, one of many promising young actors who emerged in the 90s to disappear into the ether, is particularly effective as the protagonist. Changing his behaviour to suit his surroundings, we see the prison sculpt him into the type of career criminal the system's suppose to prevent. While the matter-of-fact approach prevents it from generating any real momentum - despite an attempted prison-break climax - Animal Factory is quietly powerful in small moments.