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Wasteman

Play trailer 1:57 Poster for Wasteman Apr 2026 1h 30m Crime Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 53 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Taylor is branded a "wasteman" by society, his family and in prison. In a world of parties, gangs and violence, he's managed to keep out of trouble. However, with the arrival of chaotic cellmate Dee, the chance to make early parole and get his life back are put in jeopardy.
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Wasteman

Wasteman

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Critics Consensus

A prison picture with a terrific pair of lead performances by David Jonsson and Tom Blyth, Wasteman is harrowing, superbly acted across the board, and revealing about the incentives for violence in the correctional system.

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Critics Reviews

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Tim Grierson Los Angeles Times Apr 27
The movie’s bitterest irony is that, of the two men, it’s ultimately Dee who may be more honorable. Go to Full Review
Matt Zoller Seitz RogerEbert.com Apr 17
3.5/4
It's a genre piece with tragic weight. Go to Full Review
Randy Myers San Jose Mercury News Apr 15
3/4
Through the jangly use of cellphone cameras capturing violence on the cellblock and a winnowed down running time, “Wasteman” doesn’t waste one second of a film time. It certainly has a surplus of talent in front of and behind the camera. Go to Full Review
Luis Martínez El Mundo (Spain) 15h
4/5
Cal McMau makes his debut with a feverish exercise in prison cinema that is as ruthless as it is starkly human. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Nando Salvá Cinemanía (Spain) 1d
4/5
It lasts only an hour and a half, and thanks to all of this, it doesn't need any more to accumulate a true tragic magnitude. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Fran Chico Fotogramas 4d
4/5
There's an electric tension between [Tom Blyth and David Jonsson], a mixture of fragility and arrogance, of fear and defiance, that sustains the entire story, transcending its mafia-movie aesthetic. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Arthur R @RT88125953 Jul 9 Prison is now a high school courtyard apparently. Has moments of grit and intensity and while Blyth does an admirable job with a complex character, Jonsson is basically asked to sleepwalk his way through this with the most utterly unsympathetic character on screen in ages. Fitting since the 'woe is me' bit is rendered completely incosequential by the end. In truth, its a bit of a waste man See more Grant H @dj530 Jul 8 An indictment on our prison system and its inabilities to heal comes as a common denominator for most movies behind bars, but Wasteman flips that on its head with strong performances by Jonsson and Blyth. With our loved ones keeping us going in our darkest of times, getting back to them when so much time has transpired in between can seem insurmountable. But understanding the impact we can make by achieving that goal will push us to our limits. See more Sebastian A. @nycseba3511 Jul 4 Great. Dramatic. Intense. Gritty. See more Aaron D @Doober Jun 27 With a middling second act that had me feeling the film was a tad flimsy and unfocused, a strong intro and third act does redeem an otherwise odd prison drama. See more Vincent S @Vin_E_At_The_Movies Jun 19 This is an excellent prison drama, one of the best in years. David Jonsson and Tom Blyth give intense, outstanding performances. The direction is outstanding and this is never boring from the first frame to the end. There are real stakes and suspense here. See more Bill A @RT09444064 Jun 1 Literally one of the best films I’ve ever seen Had to see it 3 times in the cinema! See more Read all reviews
Wasteman

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Movie Info

Synopsis Taylor is branded a "wasteman" by society, his family and in prison. In a world of parties, gangs and violence, he's managed to keep out of trouble. However, with the arrival of chaotic cellmate Dee, the chance to make early parole and get his life back are put in jeopardy.
Director
Cal McMau
Producer
Sophia Gibber, Myles Payne
Screenwriter
Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran, Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran
Distributor
Vertigo Releasing / Sunrise Films
Production Co
Agile Films
Genre
Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 17, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 19, 2026
Runtime
1h 30m