Wasteman Review - Gritty Prison Drama Delivers Sharp Story Driven Performances
- Details
- Category: Haute This Issue
- Published on Thursday, 16 April 2026 18:56
- Written by Janet Walker
Wasteman, from Sunrise Films brings to the screen, a sharp, brutal modern British prison drama, as two jail house predators battle for dominance, each jeopardizing the early parole of a weaker inmate who is determined to survive.
The film begins as the prison drug lord Paul, played by Alex Hassell, is trying to determine which of two weaker prisoners, Taylor, played by David Jonsson, and Cook-up, played by Jack Barker, stole some of his stash. When he finds out, a beat down ensues, and finally Gaz, played by Corin Silva, drop a television on the prison thief's head.
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This scene establishes who controls the prison, and Taylor, a quiet smack addicted junkie, who earns his stash by cutting hair, simply wants to do his time, lay low, stay out of anyone's eyesight, while he waits for his release.
As fate would have it, the UK is facing prison overcrowding and decided low level inmates, and those who have served the majority of their sentence will be released early. Taylor's parole officer explains, it's simple fill out the paperwork and make the arrangements, and don't get mixed up in anything and you'll be released soon.
Just when it seemed like he could quietly wait out the release, he gets a new cellmate. And as we see, prisons in the UK are somewhat different, and the new cellmate, Dee, played by Tom Blyth, is what is called a "parasitical predator."
He burrows himself into anyone and everyone, finds his next target and through expert grooming, he slowly takes over. We understand Dee also runs a crew on the outside, and has decided from day one, he is taking on the established prison contraband system and making it his own.
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In a matter of weeks, Dee is receiving drone shipments, dropped into the yard, setting up the junkies with their drug of choice, and swapping candy, ramen noodles and food, in a loyalty exchange. And when his street mates arrive, Stu, played by Keaton Ancona-Francis, the new gang is formed. Soon, Paul, the drug lord understands in order to protect his tuff and prove who runs this world, he has to take on the new man.
Dee also grooms Taylor, by being his mate, sharing his private and very illegal phone with him, offering him weed and other drugs without expectations, and finally as Taylor breaks down and tells Dee he has been trying to see his son, who he never met. Dee helps him reconnect giving Taylor the chance to be a dad. But behind bars nothing comes for free, and with Dee's ambition to rise up and run the prison as the prison king pin he's not only jeopardizing Taylor's parole, but he is also risking their lives.
About this time, the drug lord decides enough is enough, and he and Gaz show up in Taylor's cell and Dee is beaten unconscious and the beat down is filmed. Taylor curls in the corner and is forced, on film, to punch Dee while he is knocked out.
This sets up the unexpected and shocking ending.
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Wasteman, a modernized British prison drama version, exudes the gritty, brutal, underbelly of a world that most will never know.
The cast, led by David Jonsson, and Tom Blyth, each deliver strong, sharp, and engrossing story driven performances. Blyth, who is the aggressor, transforms into this person, this predator, and Jonsson, a cowardly, meek, smack addicted wasteman, delivers a stunning, and definitely surpassing metamorphous. The performances are excellent, and memorable.
Director Cal McMau and screenwriters Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran have captured the attention to detail and the nuances of not only life behind bars, with all its treachery and its own set of rules, but the dynamics of staying alive in this new hierarchy, the slang street language, physicality, style, walk, mannerisms, are expertly captured and projected and brought it to life through these exceptional performances.
Riveting and gripping, Wasteman, opens exclusively in theaters April 17, 2026. See it.
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Country: UK.
Language: English.
Runtime: 90 minutes.
Director: Cal McMau.
Producer: Sophia Gibber, Myles Payne.
Executive Producer: David Jonsson, Philip Barantini, Samantha Beddoe, Sonny Gill, Tim Macready, Emma Berkofsky, Marie-Claire Benson, David Staniland, Hunter Andrews, Cal McMau, Stephen Kelliher, Sophie Green, Sam Williams.
Writer: Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran.
Cast: David Jonsson, Tom Blyth, Alex Hassell, Corin Silva, Paul Hilton, Ray BLK, Keaton Ancona-Francis, Jack Barker.
Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade. A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.
