Writer/director S Craig Zahler marked his feature debut with Bone Tomahawk in 2015, which memorably savoured moments of delicate horror. We’re hoping that the understated poignancy of that film is carried through into his latest, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and that Vince Vaughn’s unlikely physical transformation in the lead role is coupled with an equally surprising performance.
With his marriage falling apart and having lost his job as an auto-mechanic, former boxer Bradley Thomas (Vaughn) turns to an old friend to make money as a drug courier. But, after a shoot-out with police and rivals, he finds himself badly hurt and, after being thrown in prison, is forced to commit acts of savage violence.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Vaughn re-emerged as the charming, sensitive actor who shot to fame off the back of Jon Favreau’s 1996 comedy Swingers? Who knows, the Vaughnaissance could well be underway.
Brawl in Cell Block 99 is released October 2017.
Published 30 Aug 2017
Sheriff Kurt Russell gets more than he bargained for in this horror-western hybrid from S Craig Zahler.
By Lara C Cory
The easy comic charm of Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn proves irresistible in this ’90s cult classic.
Meet the resident Da Vinci who turns candy into art at California’s notorious San Quentin penitentiary.
Little White Lies was established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them. Combining cutting-edge design, illustration and journalism, we’ve been described as being “at the vanguard of the independent publishing movement.” Our reviews feature a unique tripartite ranking system that captures the different aspects of the movie-going experience. We believe in Truth & Movies.
