Felon (2008)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Ric Roman Waugh

Writer:

Ric Roman Waugh (written by)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

No Rules. No Hope. No Way Out.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Nightmare | Tear Gas | Divorce | Dui

Cast

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

MPAA:

Rated R for brutal violence, pervasive language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | South Korea:18 | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:16 | South Africa:16LV | UK:15 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Stage 6 Films

Trivia:

The tattoos applied to Val Kilmer were purposefully realistic and based upon research by the director and Kilmer. The designs were done primarily in monochrome with fine-line secondary to the predominant influences on skin art in maximum security prisons evidenced at the time of the production.

Goofs:

Continuity: As the movie begins, we see Wade outside. Then it cuts inside to Laura putting some bananas into Michaels cereal (47 seconds into the movie). As the camera pans left we see the orange juice container in the bottom left of the frame already on the table. In the next shot, Wade is coming to the table and the orange juice is NOT on the table. Wade is carrying it in his hand and sets it down on the able.

Quotes:

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

When your life is defined by a single action, you change the concept of time.

Felon is an outstanding film and externally well written. It's defiantly one of those films that you can watch again and again.

Wade Porter (Stephen Dorff) is an average guy, successful business, and living with his fiancé and son. All is going well for him until one day a swift moment of judgement ends him up in prison. From here on in, his idea of normality and normal society rules get turned on their heads as he gets to grips with another world of prison rules and prison society ...but this film is much more than about one man serving his time. The line that John Smith (Val Kilmer) puts over a couple of times in the film, "When your life is defined by a single action, you change the concept of time", is interwoven into all the individual characters plots so brilliantly, this film hits you on some many different levels.

Marisol Nichols, who I have only seen in 24 before, gives a great performance as Wade Porter's fiancé, struggling to make ends meat while he is in prison. Can't forget Val Kilmer who gives a Strong performance as well. In fact I can't knock anybody in it, it's not often that the actors, characters and script all seem like they where made for each other.