Starred Up

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Starred Up

Released Aug 27, 2014

1h 40m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

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116 Reviews

84%

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10,000+ Ratings

An explosive teenager runs into his equally violent father after being switched to an adult prison from a facility for juveniles.

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Critics Consensus

Smart, hard-hitting, and queasily realistic, Starred Up is an instant classic of U.K. prison cinema.

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David Sims

The Atlantic

Mackenzie is seeking to understand how all this explosive male energy can co-exist under such brutal conditions, and the answer is with great difficulty.

Sep 22, 2016

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David Ehrlich

Complex

What makes Starred Up such a riveting experience is that, despite the often unintelligible brogues in which its characters speak, the film so vividly depicts the cutthroat culture of prison life that nothing gets lost in translation.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 27, 2014

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Walter V. Addiego

San Francisco Chronicle

Director David Mackenzie has empathy for the characters, but also knows how to ratchet up the tension and make the scene of mayhem pack a wallop.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 25, 2014

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Q.V. Hough

Vague Visages

I took a deep breath after this film was over. Jack O’Connell will literally become a star this week once Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken hits theaters, but his snarling performance in Starred Up can’t be missed.

Jun 23, 2023

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Taylor Baker

Drink in the Movies

Episode 27: Valhalla Rising / Bronson / Starred Up / True Detective S3

Rated: 86/100

Sep 9, 2021

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

Nashville Scene

Throughout, Starred Up keeps the audience in its own prison of nervous tension and worry, as Mackenzie casts a shadow of terrifying unpredictability over each scene. That unease is heightened by O'Connell's masterful performance.

Sep 9, 2021

Full Review

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Stephen C

Success in 1 2/3 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/08/25

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Tim B

Awesome movie! Great acting and directing. It's a redemption song for sure!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/25

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Jonathan K

I genuinely had no idea where this was going or what the arc would be. But I'll say this, it will stick with you. It has some very good performances and a solid tone. The father-son dynamic almost gets silly at one point when they're hurling insults at each other, but overall it's a not so subtle, but somehow still nuanced, story about reconciliation and facing one's demons.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/24/24

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Alec B

Yes it's brutal, but also achingly sad. Asser's screenplay and Mackenzie's direction achieve a lot with very little. You are totally immersed in this world and understand the characters without much verbal exposition. Also, O'Connell's performance is an explosion of brilliance, announcing him as a major new talent.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/13/23

Full Review

Fleces P

The accents are pretty thick. I barely understood half the dialogue, but half the dialogue is throw away swearing, so it kind of didn't matter. Yeah, it's violent. I have a hard time believing someone who causes this much trouble wouldn't be sent to solitary immediately. But otherwise, it is entertaining enough to give it a try. The ending is decent, but not like life changing or anything. It brings the film back to Earth a bit and gives it a reason to be seen. Otherwise, I didn't see much of a point to the film. It kind of just drones on as one act of prison stupidity after another. Sure, maybe that's a window into true prison life. I don't know. But before the ending, this was on track to hit 2 stars at best for me.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/01/23

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Bunk M

Lock in and mind your gaze, these cons & guards are equally assertive, and the action echoes throughout the prison.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

Full Review

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David Mackenzie

Director

Ben Mendelsohn

Neville

Rupert Friend

Oliver

Jack O'Connell

Eric

Sam Spruell

Governor Hayes

David Ajala

Tyrone

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Synopsis

An explosive teenager runs into his equally violent father after being switched to an adult prison from a facility for juveniles.

Director: David Mackenzie
Producer: Gillian Berrie, Brian Coffey
Screenwriter: Jonathan Asser
Distributor: Tribeca Film
Production Co: Northern Ireland Screen, Creative Scotland, Sigma, Quickfire Films, Lipsync Productions, Film4
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 27, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 28, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $34.1K
Runtime: 1h 40m

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