‘Inside' Review: Guy Pearce Is a Lit Fuse of Internal Contradictions in Haunting Australian Prison Drama
The suffocating environment of a prison system depicted with maximum authenticity makes a combustible setting for Inside, a drama exploring inherited damage via three different convicted felons, each of them trying in his own way to circumvent a fate seemingly written in their DNAs. Offering further evidence that Guy Pearce, following The Brutalist and The Shrouds, has become one of our most gifted and versatile actors, Charles Williams' feature debut shapes a volatile triangle of broken men, fleshed out by an astonishing Cosmo Jarvis and impressive newcomer Vincent Miller.
While not directly inspired by his own experiences, Williams drew on his working-class upbringing with family members in and out of prison and a father who disappeared from his life at age 12 to shape a view that's honest and unflinching but also tempered by compassion.
More from The Hollywood Reporter
'The Best You Can' Review: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick Star in a Congenial but Unremarkable Dramedy About an Unlikely Friendship
'Our Hero, Balthazar' Review: Asa Butterfield and Jaeden Martell in an Unnerving Dark Comedy About American Gun Culture
'State of Firsts' Review: Trans Congresswoman Sarah McBride Steps Into the Spotlight for a Doc That's More Than Your Average Political Puff Piece
Inside is not the usual story of damnation or redemption, of the unbreakable cycles of crime or even the virtues of rehabilitation, like Sing Sing. Nor is it another attempt to grapple with the legacy of Australia's penal colony history. Instead, it's a bleak, often intensely heavy psychological character study, though not without fully earned glimpses of hope.
The narrator whose voiceover passages bind the drama is 18-year-old Mel Blight (Miller), who has aged out of the juvenile detention center where he killed another kid in a violent outburst. A wobbly home video shows the wedding of Mel's mother (Georgia Chiara) and father (Angus Cerini) in the prison where the latter was serving time. He recalls his father telling him that being conceived behind bars was a sure sign that Mel would turn out bad. 'And he was right.'
While prison staff admit that the situation is far from ideal, Mel is required to share a cell in his new home with Mark Shepard (Jarvis), a lifer whose conviction for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl when he was 13 made him one of the country's most hated criminals. Shepard, too, is a recent transfer to the lower-security facility after decades in maximum security, much of that time spent in solitary confinement.
With his hunched shoulders, shuffling gait and mumbled speech, Shepard is clearly a troubled man, his mental stability an open question. But he believes he has found a spiritual path to salvation as a born-again Pentecostal. He enlists Mel to play electronic keyboard at the religious services where he preaches to a mostly jeering assembly of prisoners. They look on slack-jawed during the moments of rapture in which he speaks in tongues.
Jarvis' performance is transformative, making Mark both pathetic and feverishly alive, his corrosive remorse seemingly genuine. (The English Shogun star's Oz accent is impeccable.) One scene is especially riveting, in which he indirectly explains a shocking act of self-mutilation by sharing the discovery that it's the spirit, not the flesh, that must change. There's remarkable empathy in Williams' writing and direction as Mark insists that Mel needs to be baptized to free himself from pain and guilt.
The triangle's third point is Warren Murfett (Pearce), who is days away from parole eligibility after 15 years of incarceration and every self-help program on offer. Sporting a bushy salt-and-pepper beard and a world-weary look in his eyes, Pearce finds dimensions both tragic and devious in what could have been merely the stock character of the wily long-term inmate whose isolation has cost him his humanity.
When he assaults his cellmate, a convicted pedophile Warren catches with a photo of his son as a boy, the tough warden (Tammy MacIntosh) suspects he is deliberately sabotaging his parole chances, as is often the case with prisoners who come to fear being shoved back out into the world after long sentences. As a disciplinary measure, she swaps out Mel as his cellmate, instructing Warren to keep the unpredictable livewire kid out of trouble.
Warren's mentorship takes a tough-love approach, perhaps a reflection of his desire for reconciliation with his now-adult son, who has agreed to see him during a monitored day-release. But he also has his own selfish needs.
Deep in gambling debt and unable to pay back prison thugs unlikely to let him be released alive, Warren manipulates Mel into killing Sheperd for the bounty on his head, instructing him on how to carry out the murder while making it look like self-defense. He even fashions a shiv for Mel in the prison workshop.
Like Warren, Mel has his own motives for agreeing to the proposal, not for his share of the cash but perhaps in a cleansing attempt to rid the world of an evil human being and dissuade himself from the idea that people like him are infected with poison and should not be allowed back out into society.
In his first screen role, Miller holds his own alongside his seasoned co-stars. He smartly underplays the twitchy nervousness that causes Mel to blink constantly, instead conveying his unease in more subtle ways, swinging between rage episodes and moments of quiet in which he looks like a lost child. His suppressed hunger for connection adds to the unpredictability of Mel's scenes with both Warren and Mark.
There's a direct line from Miller's performance to that of Raif Weaver as the young Mel in the most unbearably tense of his triggering flashbacks. His mother informs Mel and his sister that their father will be out on day release but urges them not to share their address with him. From the moment his dad picks Mel up from school it's clear the boy won't be able to keep the secret. The car journey to the house, with a sheet of plastic taped over a broken window flapping noisily, is nerve-rattling, even more so because what follows is played out offscreen.
Another standout scene — arguably Pearce's finest work here — is Warren's visit to the home of his son Adrian (Toby Wallace, terrific), during which his effortful geniality crumbles in the face of cold distance that builds into cruel betrayal.
It's one of many instances in the film that force us to consider hardened criminals from different angles — as victims as well as perpetrators — and it adds shading both to the violent climactic developments and the surprising optimism of a poignant coda.
Inside is not an easy movie. Its feeling of claustrophobia is amplified by the discomfit of being confined with messed-up men liable to do anything, and its brooding mood is deepened by the chilly, institutional blues and grays of Andrew Commis' cinematography and the enveloping somberness of Chiara Costanza's synth score. But the superbly acted drama yields rewards, making astute observations about mental health, inherited trauma, self-determination and absent or unfixable fathers.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts
Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT
'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
28 minutes ago
- New York Post
Bea Arthur called Betty White a ‘c–t' often, ‘Golden Girls' producer claims — why'd they clash?
Not so golden. 'Golden Girls' co-producer Marsha Posner Williams opened up about Betty White and Bea Arthur's rumored feud during an event celebrating the hit sitcom's 40th anniversary in Los Angeles on Wednesday. 'When that red light was on [and the show was filming], there were no more professional people than those women, but when the red light was off, those two couldn't warm up to each other if they were cremated together,' she said, per The Hollywood Reporter. Williams recalled that Arthur 'used to call me at home and say, 'I just ran into that [C-word] at the grocery store. I'm gonna write her a letter,' and I said, 'Bea, just get over it for crying out loud. Just get past it.'' 11 Bea Arthur, left, and Betty White, right, in 'The Golden Girls.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images The producer continued, 'I remember, my husband and I went over to Bea's house a couple of times for dinner. Within 30 seconds of walking in the door, the c-word came out [to describe White].' 'The Golden Girls' aired aired on NBC from 1985 to 1992, following four older single women sharing a home in Florida while navigating their 'golden' years. There was Southern Belle widow Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Minnesota born widow, Rose (White), Brooklyn born divorcee Dorothy (Arthur), and Dorothy's Sicilian mother, Sophia (Estelle Getty). 11 Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, Betty White, and Estelle Getty in 'The Golden Girls.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 11 Beatrice Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Betty White arrive at the 6th annual 'TV Land Awards' held at Barker Hangar on June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, California. Todd Williamson Getty died in 2008 at age 84, McClanahan died in 2010 at age 76, White died in 2021 at age 99, and Arthur died in 2009 at age 86. Producers speculated about the source of White and Arthur's animosity. Co-producer Jim Vallely said he thought it was because White got more applause during cast introductions. But, Williams, disagreed, and thought they clashed over their different backgrounds, since Arthur had a theater background while White came from TV. 11 Rye McClanahan, Betty White, and Bea Arthur in 'The Golden Girls.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 11 Betty White and Bea Arthur in 'The Golden Girls.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images It's also previously been speculated that the feud came from jealousy, as White was the show's first cast member to be nominated for a Best Actress Emmy in 1986. In the 2016-published 'Golden Girls Forever' biography, author Jim Colucci noted that Arthur remained in character during taping, while White relaxed between shots and joked around with the live studio audience. 'I think my mom didn't dig that,' Arthur's adopted son, Matthew Saks, told the Hollywood Reporter in 2016, seven years after she died of cancer at 86. 'It's more about being focused or conserving your energy. It's just not the right time to talk to fans between takes. Betty was able to do it and it didn't seem to affect her. But it rubbed my mom the wrong way.' 11 Betty White and Bea Arthur sign copies of 'The Golden Gilrs Season 3' DVD at Barnes & Noble on November 22, 2005 in New York City. Getty Images 11 Betty White, Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty in 1992. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images White revealed her side of the story in 2011, saying in an interview, 'Bea had a reserve. She was not that fond of me. She found me a pain in the neck sometimes. It was my positive attitude — and that made Bea mad sometimes. Sometimes if I was happy, she'd be furious!' This isn't the first time this allegation of Arthur using the c-word has surfaced. During a 2022 episode of The Originals podcast, the show's casting director, Joel Thurm, said, 'Literally Bea Arthur, who I cast in something else later on, just said, 'Oh, she's a f–king c–t,' using that word [about White].' 'Bea Arthur called Betty White a C-word?' podcast host Andrew Goldman asked in the interview. 11 Bea Arthur, Betty White and Estelle Getty during 48th Golden Apple Awards at Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California in 1988. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images 11 Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, and Betty White in 'The Golden Girls.' Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images 'Yeah, she called her the C-word. I mean, I heard that with my own ears,' Thurm said. 'And by the way, so did Rue McClanahan. Rue McClanahan said it to me in Joe Allen's [restaurant]; Bea Arthur [when she was] on the set of 'Beggars and Choosers.' ' Thrum recalled how Getty — who died in 2008 at 84 from Lewy body dementia — began having issues memorizing her lines on-set. 'And she would write the lines on her hand, and … Betty White would make fun of her in front of the live audience,' he said. 'That may seem like a minor transgression, but it really does get to you … I have no idea how Estelle Getty felt, but I know the other two did not like [White] at all.' 11 Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo; Bea Arthur as Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak; Betty White as Rose Nylund; Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux in 'The Golden Girls.' NBCUniversal via Getty Images 11 Estelle Getty, Betty White, and Beatrice Arthur of the Golden Girls pictured in New York City in 1986. Corbis via Getty Images During Wednesday night's event, Williams recalled that tensions between White and Arthur were also present on set. 'Betty would break character in the middle of the show [and talk to the live audience], and Bea hated that,' she said. Williams also said that the rest of the cast was game to continue past seven seasons, but Arthur was the one who wanted to end it. 'The show would have continued after seven years. Their contracts were up and … the executives went to the ladies, and Estelle said, 'Yes, let's keep going,' and Rue said, 'Yes let's keep going,' and Betty said, 'Yes, let's keep going,'' she recalled. But, she added, 'And Bea said, 'No f—ing way,' and that's why that show didn't continue.'
Tom's Guide
4 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
Netflix's new thriller movie with Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson already sounds intense — and we have a release date
Netflix seems to be doubling down on political thrillers lately. Just days after dropping the first look at its upcoming series 'Hostage,' the streamer has now revealed some juicy details on an original movie that sounds just as intense. 'A House of Dynamite,' a new dramatic thriller from Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, is officially coming to Netflix (and in select theaters) on October 24, 2025, and it already sounds like a gripping watch. The movie stars Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, which is reason enough to pay attention, but throw in Bigelow (whose work on 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'The Hurt Locker' basically defined the modern political thriller) and this project immediately feels like something worth watching on the biggest screen possible. From Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow comes A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE, in select theaters October and on Netflix October 24. 18, 2025 Netflix hasn't released a trailer or any first-look images yet, but we do have an intriguing poster showing the outline of a soldier, with the title printed just below. It's not much to go on, but with this announcement out in the world, hopefully more details will follow in the coming weeks. The newly confirmed plot details line up with what The Hollywood Reporter revealed a few months ago, which also mentioned that the movie's standout element is its real-time format — following government officials in a race against the clock to prevent catastrophe. I love a ticking-clock setup when it's done right, and so I'm hopeful about this one. 'A House of Dynamite' certainly sounds intriguing, and I'm glad Netflix is putting this movie in theaters too. Honestly, any excuse to support your local theater is a win in my book! While details for 'A House of Dynamite' are scarce right now, we do have a small synopsis: 'When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race begins to determine who is responsible and how to respond.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. That one-line synopsis might be brief, but you can't deny that it sounds compelling. And with Noah Oppenheim, known for 'Jackie' and 'The Maze Runner,' behind the script, there's a good chance this story will be both smart and sharply paced. In fact, Netflix Tudum described it as 'a sharp and visceral new story.' Alongside Elba and Ferguson, the cast includes Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke. They're joined by Malachi Beasley, Brian Tee, Brittany O'Grady, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Willa Fitzgerald, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Kyle Allen, and Kaitlyn Dever. Bigelow is officially making her return, and it sounds like she's diving straight into high-stakes territory with a tension-filled missile crisis thriller. The cast is stacked, the premise is juicy, and if early hints are anything to go by, we could be in for a tense ride. 'A House of Dynamite' hits select theaters this October and lands on Netflix on October 24.
Hypebeast
9 hours ago
- Hypebeast
David Fincher's ‘Mindhunter' Could Return as Three Movies
Summary David Fincher'sMindhuntermay not return for another season, but it could come back in other ways: specifically, three movies. Holt McCallany, who played the role of FBI Special Agent Bill Tench on theNetflixseries, recently toldCBRthat he spoke to Fincher about the possibility of the show's revival. 'I had a meeting with David Fincher in his office a few months ago, and he said to me that there is a chance that it may come back as three two-hour movies, but I think it's just a chance,' he shared. 'I know there are writers that are working, but you know, David has to be happy with scripts.' The actor continued, 'I recently wrote a script that he was kind enough to give me notes on. I was in script revisions with David for two and a half years.. but [he] was very meticulous, which is why I think he's the best director in Hollywood.' 'He gave me a little bit of hope when I had that meeting with him, but the sun, the moon and the stars would all have to align,' McCallany added. Mindhunterstarred McCallany andJonathan Groffas FBI Special Agent Holden Ford, and followed the genesis of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit and the process of criminal profiling. It was based on John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker's 1995 true crime bookMindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit. The show ran for a total of two seasons up until 2019, but was not renewed by Netflix supposedly due to itsexpensive price tag.
