The Work

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The Work

Released Oct 25, 2017

1h 27m

Documentary

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100%

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55 Reviews

86%

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500+ Ratings

Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, three men from the outside participate in a four-day group therapy retreat with level-four convicts. Over the four days, each man in the room takes his turn at delving deep into his past.

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Critics Consensus

The Work takes a gut-wrenching look at lives all too often written off as lost causes, persuasively arguing that growth and change can be waiting where we least expect it.

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Raphael Abraham

Financial Times

Never has a 4,000-year-old aphorism seemed more devastatingly of the moment. But the results are inspiring: it seems The Work works.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 29, 2017

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Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

Sceptics may enter Folsom with suspicion, but these are extraordinary scenes, so shocking and dynamic they might be mistaken for exorcisms.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 29, 2017

Full Review

A.A. Dowd

AV Club

More than just an advertisement for the process depicted, The Work carries a profound, implicit point about a culture that encourages men to bottle up what they feel, then condemns them after those emotions express themselves in violent, destructive ways.

Dec 14, 2017

Full Review

Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

Stretched out to nearly an hour and a half, its intensity is diluted and it can feel a little repetitive.

Rated: B-

Aug 28, 2021

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Phil Guie

Film-Forward.com

The men look inward in the most powerful scenes and come face-to-face with the darkness they find. However, it's the moments afterwards, when they... show love and appreciation that are unexpectedly powerful and uplifting.

Rated: 5/5

May 22, 2019

Full Review

Tomas Trussow

The Lonely Film Critic

I'm glad something so gruelingly powerful came out of that four-day session. Just the sight of seeing these tough-looking guys cheering someone on for pouring their soul out was very touching to me.

Rated: 3.5/5

Nov 10, 2018

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Matthew R

idk, if you can accept that these guys are being honest and you like he whole therapy thing its worth a watch. I like the whole therapy thing but it jsut seemed these guys were overreacting to everything. It was like watching a reality show, well i guess it was a reality show, but it just seemed all the emotions are super forced to me.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/30/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Incredibly powerful. I was amazed at the depth of wisdom and discernment displayed by convicts who had extremely violent pasts and who probably were in prison for life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Genius! 'The Work' shows a raw and uncut view into the mental state of men and masculinity in a society where opening up and exposing your emotions isn't encouraged.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A candid look inside some men who are prisoners and some men are prisoners in their minds. An honest study that I didn't want to end.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is an important movie about an even more important programme.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

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Audience Member

I am completely baffled by these reviews. I did not connect emotionally on any level, did not believe these guys - they all appeared to be actors. Did not find out much about their lives - pretty much a lot of screaming and crying.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

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Jairus McLeary

Director

Gethin Aldous

Director

Gethin Aldous

Executive Producer

Rob Allbee

Executive Producer

James McLeary

Executive Producer

Jairus McLeary

Producer

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The Work: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Set inside a single room in Folsom Prison, three men from the outside participate in a four-day group therapy retreat with level-four convicts. Over the four days, each man in the room takes his turn at delving deep into his past.

Director: Jairus McLeary, Gethin Aldous
Producer: Jairus McLeary, Alice Henty, Eon McLeary, Miles McLeary, Angela Sostre
Distributor: The Orchard
Production Co: Blanket Fort Media
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 25, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.3K
Runtime: 1h 27m

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