We've seen it all before and since. Rapists and thugs are serving time in the Rainford Juvenile Facility until they are satisfactorily rehabilitated.
Mick O'Brien (Sean Penn) shares a cell with a likable young criminal who loves tinkering with radios and mousetraps and some explosive inventions of his own. His antics provide the only light relief to the violence.
There is a touching scene where O'Brien escapes to comfort his girl friend who has been pursued and raped on a highway. The otherwise unemotional O'Brien breaks down during his moment of freedom. The offender is caught and comes face to face with O'Brien behind bars. At this point the film becomes more interesting as tension between the characters builds.
Among the mixture of characters there is of course a bully who always jumps the food queue and roughs up anyone he cares to annoy for no apparent reason.
Sean Penn does a good job as a silent brooding type of thug, out for revenge although his own past life has not been an exemplary one.
I am amazed at the size of the Illinois Penitentiary of which we get a momentary glimpse of an interior cell block. O'Brien is too, and at this point he rethinks his future attitude towards life behind bars.
Not a particularly interesting film ( a kind of docu-drama of life in a rehabilitation unit). It is however a showcase of the acting ability of Sean Penn who went on to star in a host of successful films.
Mick O'Brien (Sean Penn) shares a cell with a likable young criminal who loves tinkering with radios and mousetraps and some explosive inventions of his own. His antics provide the only light relief to the violence.
There is a touching scene where O'Brien escapes to comfort his girl friend who has been pursued and raped on a highway. The otherwise unemotional O'Brien breaks down during his moment of freedom. The offender is caught and comes face to face with O'Brien behind bars. At this point the film becomes more interesting as tension between the characters builds.
Among the mixture of characters there is of course a bully who always jumps the food queue and roughs up anyone he cares to annoy for no apparent reason.
Sean Penn does a good job as a silent brooding type of thug, out for revenge although his own past life has not been an exemplary one.
I am amazed at the size of the Illinois Penitentiary of which we get a momentary glimpse of an interior cell block. O'Brien is too, and at this point he rethinks his future attitude towards life behind bars.
Not a particularly interesting film ( a kind of docu-drama of life in a rehabilitation unit). It is however a showcase of the acting ability of Sean Penn who went on to star in a host of successful films.