Animal Factory
2000 Directed by Steve Buscemi
Synopsis
A young man goes to prison and a tough, older convict takes him under his wing as a mentor.
Cast
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I was drawn to Animal Factory because of Steve Buscemi. I love Steve Buscemi. Whenever I watch him on the screen he just makes me smile.
I liked Trees Lounge, his baby, probably more than I should have, but it is an interesting film worth investigating. I was excited to see his second directorial effort.
There is nothing wrong with Animal Factory. I think that really sums it up. There are a lot of pitfalls that could be stepped into, and it would be easy to over moralize. Buscemi didn’t falter here. He also didn’t excel. Everything about the film was safe and even. If you compare Animal Factory to Jacques Audaird’s Un Prophete, you see Animal Factory for exactly…
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That funny lookin' guy off Fargo got the Mexican dude, that fat biker man, and John Connor from T2 to make a movie. Maybe the best thing here is the in-joke that seems to be going on with the cast, Buscemi taking his performers almost entirely from the broad spectrum of people labelled "that guy". It lacks the raw power of Tree's Lounge and the immense likeability of Lonesome Jim, but Buscemi's second feature as director is an accomplished work nonetheless, never quite taking the expected direction and using its gifted cast to the full extent of their all-too overlooked talents.
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Shawshank Redemption, Cool Hand Luke, Papillon; the prison movies at the top of all the lists that everyone loves (me included), but why does no one ever suggest Animal Factory? That’s the question I was asking myself the whole way through the film. It’s a great film.
Most prison films are similar in themes; protagonist gets arrested, gets in a fight, and attempts to escape. You know the story and it’s much the same with Animal Factory, but as always with prison films, it’s the execution of it that really makes it work. In this one, we have Willem Dafoe and Edward Furlong as our two protagonists who become unlikely allies, both coming from opposite ends of the world. The…
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This is one of the few films Steve Buscemi directed, this was his second. The first, Trees Lounge, which for some reason I've seen, wasn't great but it was different and had some potential. With Animal Factory Buscemi takes a few side steps and doesn't really improve or worsen.
The movie stars a bald headed Willem Dafoe as the top dog in a prison. Edward Furlong plays a young and meek marijuana dealer sentenced to five years, and Dafoe takes him under his wing.
It's a flawed and uneven movie, sometimes a bit gritty, sometimes oddly tame. Some decent performances. But the main problem is a very straightforward plot that Buscemi never makes particularly interesting, exciting, or believable.
Not really worth seeing
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Animal Factory is Steve Buscemi's second feature as director and while his first, Trees Lounge, is a more interesting film, this one is a better film overall. It is a straight story about the relationship between a new young convict and the more seasoned convict who takes him under his wing. The film doesn't introduce anything new to the prison genre, nor does it explore any interesting themes. It is a simple and straight narrative, the kind we feel better about seeing on television then at the theatre. It is well done and engaging, worth a watch, but not particularly memorable.
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Low-key, slow moving. Antony and the Johnsons makes an appearance, as does the guy from Machete, which is nice.
Mr. Furlong isn't that great at acting, but he manages to look a bit slow quite successfully. The cop from True Blood shows up in the gym, looking as hooked on V as ever. Willem Dafoe is excellent, and has a shaved head. Steve Buscemi is a warden. He's better as an actor than a director, it seems.Worthwhile if you make the effort.
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This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.
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I was drawn to Animal Factory because of Steve Buscemi. I love Steve Buscemi. Whenever I watch him on the screen he just makes me smile.
I liked Trees Lounge, his baby, probably more than I should have, but it is an interesting film worth investigating. I was excited to see his second directorial effort.
There is nothing wrong with Animal Factory. I think that really sums it up. There are a lot of pitfalls that could be stepped into, and it would be easy to over moralize. Buscemi didn’t falter here. He also didn’t excel. Everything about the film was safe and even. If you compare Animal Factory to Jacques Audaird’s Un Prophete, you see Animal Factory for exactly…
-
Animal Factory is Steve Buscemi's second feature as director and while his first, Trees Lounge, is a more interesting film, this one is a better film overall. It is a straight story about the relationship between a new young convict and the more seasoned convict who takes him under his wing. The film doesn't introduce anything new to the prison genre, nor does it explore any interesting themes. It is a simple and straight narrative, the kind we feel better about seeing on television then at the theatre. It is well done and engaging, worth a watch, but not particularly memorable.
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Waiting for prison rape: the movie
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this was pretty good for the most part, it had a lot of great actors in it. so its at least worth watching.....
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The One In Which Dafoe Eats Shit.
Raw prison flick with great mugs (Danny Trejo, Mickey Rourke (recognize him?), Seymour Cassell, ...) Cameos: Edward Bunker and Antony Hegarty. -
pretty good prison movie. really great performances.
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Shawshank Redemption, Cool Hand Luke, Papillon; the prison movies at the top of all the lists that everyone loves (me included), but why does no one ever suggest Animal Factory? That’s the question I was asking myself the whole way through the film. It’s a great film.
Most prison films are similar in themes; protagonist gets arrested, gets in a fight, and attempts to escape. You know the story and it’s much the same with Animal Factory, but as always with prison films, it’s the execution of it that really makes it work. In this one, we have Willem Dafoe and Edward Furlong as our two protagonists who become unlikely allies, both coming from opposite ends of the world. The…
-
This is one of the few films Steve Buscemi directed, this was his second. The first, Trees Lounge, which for some reason I've seen, wasn't great but it was different and had some potential. With Animal Factory Buscemi takes a few side steps and doesn't really improve or worsen.
The movie stars a bald headed Willem Dafoe as the top dog in a prison. Edward Furlong plays a young and meek marijuana dealer sentenced to five years, and Dafoe takes him under his wing.
It's a flawed and uneven movie, sometimes a bit gritty, sometimes oddly tame. Some decent performances. But the main problem is a very straightforward plot that Buscemi never makes particularly interesting, exciting, or believable.
Not really worth seeing