---
title: "Starred Up"
year: 2014
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/starred-up"
fi1m_score: 84
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 30
published: "2026-09-16T13:38:47.209911+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-16T13:38:47.683752+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Starred Up (2014)

Directed by David Mackenzie · 1h 46m · MPA R · Drama

**Fi1m score: 84** · Critics 78 from 30 reviews

*In a sentence:* Prison is difficult enough without your father deciding it is time to start parenting

> A tense, humane prison drama that is well worth the discomfort. Jack O’Connell and Ben Mendelsohn keep its family story convincing, even when the plotting grows a little too helpful and the writing presses harder than it needs to.

## Synopsis

Young offender Eric Love (Jack O’Connell) enters a British prison where his father, Neville Love (Ben Mendelsohn), is already an inmate. He wants to make it clear that nobody can push him around, but his aggression brings him into conflict with those around him. Neville tries to assert a father’s authority while living under the same prison rules as his son. Anger-management sessions bring Eric into contact with Oliver Baumer (Rupert Friend) and offer another way to handle confrontation. Between the other inmates, the prison authorities and his father, Eric has to work out whose help he can accept.

## Review

*Starred Up* is a frightening, compassionate prison drama, and we recommend it despite the familiar plotting that begins to crowd its people. Director David Mackenzie makes Eric Love’s violence difficult to watch without asking us to stop looking at the young man responsible for it. The presence of his father, Neville Love, means that a confrontation can carry years of resentment before either man has explained himself. That gives the film something more involving than the usual business of establishing who can hurt whom.

Jack O’Connell plays Eric as someone who has made being dangerous his most dependable defence. We were frightened by the speed with which he turns a confrontation into violence. What makes the performance so good is that the hurt remains visible without softening the threat: he can seem painfully young while making us fear for anyone near him. The film does not need to explain his whole history for us to understand how much effort goes into making himself unapproachable.

Ben Mendelsohn gives Neville a different, more practised sort of aggression. His attempts to act as a father keep getting mixed up with his need to control his son, and he makes that confusion unpleasantly credible. There is care here, but it comes with instructions Eric has little reason to welcome. Jonathan Asser’s screenplay is strongest when it lets these men talk at cross-purposes, with the father’s claim to authority made awkward by the fact that he is a fellow prisoner.

The anger-management sessions are the most absorbing passages because talking itself feels risky. Rupert Friend, as Oliver Baumer, has the difficult task of making an attempt to help credible in a film that has already given aggression such force. He avoids the reassuring manner that would turn the sessions into a break from the prison around them. Listening, answering and allowing another man to finish become difficult things to do, and David Mackenzie gives those difficulties the attention a prison thriller usually reserves for a fight.

Michael McDonough’s handheld photography keeps us close enough to the men to register a change in temper, while leaving the prison comprehensible as a place. Production designer Tom McCullagh gives it a convincing, functional plainness; nothing looks arranged to make the surroundings more picturesque. Editors Nick Emerson and Jake Roberts keep the confrontations legible and the movement between violence and conversation brisk without making the quieter material feel disposable. We can follow what is happening and still feel trapped among people whose next move is hard to predict.

The reservations concern the writing rather than the commitment of anyone performing it. Jonathan Asser sometimes makes the family drama too explicit, and the plotting becomes more convenient than these difficult people deserve. We begin to notice how firmly the story is being arranged to draw a response, after so much of it has depended on behaviour that feels unplanned. The dialogue can also be hard to catch, though smoothing out the prison slang would cost the film something we would miss.

We would not choose *Starred Up* for a restful evening, even with its taut 106-minute running time. Its interest in rehabilitation gives the violence a purpose beyond testing how much punishment we can sit through. Watch it when you can give the quieter exchanges as much attention as the fights.

*Fi1m score 84, published 16 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are uniformly positive, with praise centred on Jack O’Connell’s volatile, vulnerable lead performance and his tense exchanges with Ben Mendelsohn. Most critics find David Mackenzie’s prison drama convincing in its physical detail, sustained danger and refusal to soften the violence. The therapy scenes draw particular praise, while many reviews find compassion and a credible interest in rehabilitation beneath the aggression, giving the father-son story more weight than the familiar prison setting might suggest.

The spread runs from solid approval to considerable enthusiasm, with reservations clustering around familiar plotting, difficult dialogue and the handling of sentiment. The Guardian finds the later passages sentimental and clichéd, while Time Out objects to blunt father-son melodrama and convenient plotting. Neither rejects the film: the disagreement is chiefly over how well the writing sustains the force and credibility that critics consistently find in the performances.

### Reviews we read (30)

- **Empire**, Damon Wise (90/100, inferred): The critic positions the film as a serious contender to classics like Scum, highlighting its brutal, immersive prison survival story and Jack O’Connell’s breakout performance as a troubled young offender. It offers a critique of society’s neglect of youth. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/starred-review/)
- **Evening Standard** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it the finest British-made prison drama in a long time, praising its compelling thriller qualities, strong direction, and standout performances, especially from Jack O’Connell and Ben Mendelsohn. The authentic prison setting and script add weight. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/starred-up-film-review-8808616.html)
- **Screen Daily** (90/100, inferred): The review describes a raw, compelling drama that grows more so as it unfolds, the most powerful and assured of Mackenzie's career. It singles out the riveting depiction of prison life and the complex father/son relationship. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/starred-up/5060288.article)
- **The AV Club**, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (A-): The film is a brutally unsentimental yet profoundly humane and idealistic drama about prison life and rehabilitation. It excels through its empathy for all characters and strong direction of actors in a realistic, spatially immersive setting. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/starred-up-is-a-brutal-but-profoundly-humane-look-at-1798181211)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a raw and scary study of chaos in prison life centered on a volatile father-son relationship. Strong performances by Jack O'Connell and Ben Mendelsohn stand out amid the brutality and shifting loyalties. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/28/movies/starred-up-a-father-and-son-prison-drama.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (3/4/4): The review highlights the bruising and brutal jailhouse drama riding on Jack O'Connell's astonishing central performance. It singles out the authentic, unsentimental look at the penal system and the volatile father-son dynamic. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/starred-up)
- **Radio Times**, Damon Wise (4/5): The review calls it a brutal but rewarding drama that births a new British star in Jack O'Connell. It praises the harrowing immersive experience and O'Connell commanding the screen as the sympathetic antihero. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-k66ilh/starred-up/)
- **The New Yorker**, David Denby (80/100, inferred): The review highlights the film's extraordinarily high suspense and explosive prison drama, praising the indelible performance by Jack O'Connell as a young man full of aggression and hurt. Direction by David Mackenzie creates a tightly woven and exciting experience despite some dialogue issues. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/15/lonely-people)
- **Vulture** (80/100, inferred): Starred Up is an edgy, brilliantly disorienting prison thriller that makes a familiar world feel strange and convincing. It stands out for O'Connell's remarkable, huge yet subtle performance as the volatile teen and the filmmakers' non-nihilistic view of the system. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2014/08/movie-review-starred-up.html)
- **Film Comment**, Graham Fuller (75/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as a punishing realist drama with tense, fluent storytelling that is emphatically visual. It notes the film's relative optimism compared to antecedents like Scum, allowing for empathy with the protagonist. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/review-starred-up-david-mackenzie/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (75/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as unsettling and shocking, marrying ferocious violence with powerful performances that make it intensely dramatic. Jack O'Connell and Ben Mendelsohn deliver knockout turns in this British prison story directed by David Mackenzie. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-mn-starred-up-review-20140905-column.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Elise Nakhnikian (75/100, inferred): The film credibly explores questions of rehabilitation and forgiveness in an authentic prison setting with strong, believable character dynamics. It benefits from meticulous realism in filming and performances that convey the brutality and potential for change. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/starred-up/)
- **Financial Times**, Nigel Andrews (70/100, inferred): A tough, remorseless British prison drama that powerfully parodies social institutions through its microcosm of jail life and strong performances, standing as a nihilistic counterpart to films like A Prophet. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/c8963228-b029-11e3-b0d0-00144feab7de)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (70/100, inferred): Starred Up stands out from typical prison dramas through its focus on complex father-son dynamics and the possibility of change within a brutal system. It highlights the strong performances, particularly O'Connell's, in a grounded and empathetic portrayal. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-why-starred-up-with-jack-oconnell-isnt-your-average-prison-drama-22886/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Michael Pattison (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's muscular and moving depiction of prison life and Jack O'Connell's excellent performance as the vulnerable yet volatile protagonist. The anger-management class scenes are singled out as the most gripping. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-starred)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (70/100, inferred): The film delivers a brutal, authentic look at prison violence and father-son dynamics through strong performances, especially in therapy scenes drawn from real experience, but grows sentimental and clichéd toward the end. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/mar/20/starred-up-jonathan-asser-peter-bradshaw)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): The film announces Jack O'Connell as a major new star with his volatile, Cagney-like performance as the ultra-violent teen Eric. It offers a potent but familiar and detailed look at British prison life that may need subtitles for wider US audiences. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/starred-up-telluride-review-619077/)
- **The Independent** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a raw, testosterone-fuelled prison drama that barely notices plot cracks thanks to its intensity and strong performances from the leads. Therapy sessions and the father-son dynamic stand out amid familiar genre elements. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/starred-up-film-review-raw-prison-movie-poses-as-oedipal-drama-9205703.html)
- **The Times**, Wendy Ide (70/100, inferred): Life behind bars is evoked with jarring clarity in this high-octane prison drama featuring a lurking sense of danger and an explosive lead performance, though it lacks the formal daring of A Prophet. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/starred-up-at-london-film-festival-396cfqjnwdv)
- **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the prison drama furiously compelling and superbly acted for the most part, with O'Connell a standout. It complains that the ending veers into blunt father-son melodrama and convenient plotting. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/starred-up)
- **Total Film**, Kevin Harley (70/100, inferred): The critic praises the authentic details, visceral performances, and Jack O’Connell’s intense lead turn in this tough prison movie, noting how it states its questions with emotive force despite familiar moves. The father-son tension and therapy elements add depth. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/starred-up-review/)
- **Variety** (70/100, inferred): The review calls the film a powerful dysfunctional-family saga that hits prison-film bases with blistering naturalism and features career-making performances. It notes the father-son dynamic adds universality despite challenges with prison slang. [Read](https://variety.com/2013/film/markets-festivals/telluride-film-review-starred-up-1200594716/)
- **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (90/100, inferred): Starred Up is an instant classic of the prison movie genre with a breakthrough performance from Jack O'Connell and authentic, handheld direction that captures squalid realities without compromise. It reveals a surprising core of compassion beneath the brutality and rage. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-jack-oconnell-gives-a-breakthrough-performance-in-prison-film-classic-starred-up-20140826/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B+): The film finds a fresh take on father-son reconciliation by setting it in prison, supported by excellent performances from Jack O'Connell and Ben Mendelsohn that remove the schmaltz from the story. The critic praises the layered, hard-hitting approach and strong acting while noting minor issues with thick accents and dialogue. [Read](https://collider.com/starred-up-review/)
- **Consequence** (80/100, inferred): Mackenzie's gritty prison drama succeeds in exploring anger, rehabilitation, and family dynamics despite familiar tropes, thanks largely to standout performances. The critic highlights O'Connell's transformative, ferocious lead turn and Mendelsohn's reliable presence as the weary father, along with the film's visceral impact and thematic depth. [Read](https://consequence.net/2014/09/film-review-starred-up/)
- **Digital Spy**, Stella Papamichael (4/5): The review praises Jack O'Connell's blistering, electric performance as the standout element in this raw prison drama. It notes the film's challenging, fly-on-the-wall approach and glimmer of optimism amid the griminess. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a555623/starred-up-review-jack-oconnell-gives-an-electric-performance/)
- **/Film**, Angie Han (8/10): Jack O'Connell gives a vibrant, volatile performance that suggests real staying power in this excellent prison drama that is honest about brutal realities without sensationalizing them. Complex relationships and insider authenticity from the screenwriter elevate the material. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/531490/starred-up-review-jack-oconnell-tribeca/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Lisa Giles-Keddie (4/5): The film explores the fallout of domestic violence on children through a pressure-cooker prison setting with authentic details and strong performances. It is an explosive and tragic watch that highlights how history repeats itself in the penal system. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/starred-up-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Philip Concannon (★★★★): The critic calls out Jack O'Connell's fearless and commanding performance as electrifying the picture from the start. It singles out the uncommon authenticity from the script and direction in immersing viewers in the prison environment. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/cineskinny/starred-up)
- **Eye for Film**, Anton Bitel (70/100, inferred): The film is a story of fathers and sons, violence and control set in a corrupted prison system that resists change, offset by pervasive realism from its authentic source material and location. O'Connell and Mendelsohn deliver visceral performances, though the final symbolic image feels diluted. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/starred-up-2013-film-review-by-anton-bitel)

## Details

- **Director:** David Mackenzie
- **Director:** David Mackenzie
- **Screenplay:** Jonathan Asser
- **Cinematography:** Michael McDonough
- **Editor:** Nick Emerson, Jake Roberts
- **Production design:** Tom McCullagh
- **Costume design:** Susan Scott
- **Producer:** Gillian Berrie
- **Cast:** Jack O'Connell as Eric Love; Ben Mendelsohn as Neville Love; Rupert Friend as Oliver Baumer; David Ajala as Tyrone; Peter Ferdinando as Spencer; Gershwyn Eustache Jnr as Des; Anthony Welsh as Hassan; David Avery as Ashley
- **Runtime:** 1h 46m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 26 August 2014
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Box office:** $54,915
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE4ziBfu0JA

## Where to watch in the US

- Tubi: free, hd
- Pluto TV: free
- Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $7.99, sd
- Apple TV: buy $9.99, sd

*Checked 2026-09-16.*

Also available in: AE, AT, AU, BE, CA, CH, DE, FR, GB, IE, IT, NL, NZ, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- European Film Award for Best Sound Designer 2014: European Film Award for Best Sound Designer (won)

## If you liked this

- *The Hill* (1965): Another punishing study of institutional cruelty, with authority making itself impossible to respect.
- *A Prophet* (2009), Fi1m 86: Prison hierarchies become frighteningly clear through a young inmate learning how to survive. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-prophet.md)
- *The Son* (2002): Patient attention to difficult men, troubled boys and the hard work of forgiveness.
- *Animal Kingdom* (2010), Fi1m 84: A young man discovers how little protection a criminal family can offer. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/animal-kingdom.md)
- *Short Term 12* (2013), Fi1m 86: Troubled young people and imperfect carers, treated with patience rather than easy pity. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/short-term-12.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/starred-up