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.
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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.
