Animal Factory (USA, 2000)

Before I talk about the story of or reaction to this film I have to talk about the people involved, because that’s what made this one a terrific. Steve Buscemi, who tends to play seedy characters very convincingly, but is a very intelligent person directed it. We never learn what was the inmate–sorry, convict– played Willem Dafoe in for, but we do see him as a complex figure, who has an innate need to care for someone. It is by no accident that we mostly see his good side, and only eventual flashes of the actions he must have taken in order to be able to “rule” the jail. Edward Furlong, who played John Waters’ Pecker, the kid in Terminator 2 and the little bother in American History X is also very lifelike. On one hand he is the produce of the “Animal Factory”, going through the brutalization process. On the other hand he doesn’t lose all of his innocence and hope. Tom Arnold, who is usually a funny man shows up in an episode as a cruel one. I had to check who played the roommate and was surprised to learn that it was Mickey Rourke, bitching tough in almost full drag. I also like very much the charm of Danny Trejo, Tarantino’s tough Spanish guy,who happened to be one of the producer’s. Finally the movie was made from the semi-autobiographical novel of Edward Bunker, who was another producer. I was simply blown away by all of them. Despite having every scene playing in a prison this movie manages to be not too depressing. There are so many topics covered in it, that the viewer has no time to feel much sorry. Because of the richness the slow-pace is beneficial, we have time to digest. Racial issues (Caucasians not joining African-American’s riot), gender issues (Rourke’s character going on monologues to himself), freedom issues (“you’ve got nothing waiting for you outside”) friendships caring for the underdog … I just have to re-watch it again.