Offender (film)
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Offender
| image = Offender film poster.jpg
| caption =
| director = Ron Scalpello
| producer = Paul Van Carter
Nick Taussig, Stephen Mitchell, Rhys David Thomas
| writer = Paul Van Carter
| screenplay =
| story =
| based_on =
| starring = Kimberley Nixon
Shaun Dooley
Joe Cole
Tyson Oba
Vas Blackwood
Ruth Gemmell
David Ajala
Doon Mackichan
| narrator =
| music = Chad Hobson
| cinematography = Richard Mott
| editing = Johnny Rayner
| distributor = Revolver Entertainment
| studio = Gunslinger Films & Revolver Entertainment. An RDT Co-Production
| runtime = 102 minutes
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2012|08|08}}
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Offender is a 2012 British action film which follows a hard grafting, 20-year-old working-class man, Tommy Nix, who while avoiding getting mixed up in the wrong crowd sees his girlfriend fall victim to a brutal attack.{{cite web|url=http://www.casarotto.co.uk/news/offender-greenlit-for-production-january-2012-14943|title=OFFENDER greenlit for production |date=January 2012|publisher=casarotto.co.uk|accessdate=14 February 2012}} It stars Kimberley Nixon, Joe Cole, Shaun Dooley, Vas Blackwood and rapper English Frank. It is written by Paul Van Carter and directed by Ron Scalpello.
Cast
- Kimberley Nixon as Elise
- Shaun Dooley as Nash
- Joe Cole as Tommy
- English Frank as Jake
- Tyson Oba as Mason
- G FrSH as Angelface
- Daniel Kendrick as Sicko
- Scorcher as Essay
- Malachi Kirby as Harry
- David Ajala as Kelvin
- Ruth Gemmell as Cassie
- Mark Harris as Governor Davies
- Jacob Anderson as Patrick
- Vas Blackwood as Detective Boaz
- Doon Mackichan as the Doctor Patricia
- Can Somer as the Muslim Inmate
- Michael Edwards as Prison Officer
- Rimmel Daniel as Prison inmate
- Ric Ashley Smith as Pillion
- Mic Righteous as himself
Reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics, with a 68% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.{{rotten-tomatoes|Offender|Offender}}.
Empire magazine and Total Film both rated it 3/5, with Empire Magazine stating it was "a solid revenge thriller in which Cole excels"{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Anna|title=Offender Review Empire|url=http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137787|publisher=Empire Magazine|accessdate=8 August 2012}}
The Guardian gave it one star, stating "the plot and characters are lame and implausible, the dialogue is banal and the acting mediocre".[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/aug/09/offender-review Offender - Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330113105/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/aug/09/offender-review |date=30 March 2023 }} - The Guardian, 9 August 2012 Time Out claimed the film "feels less Scum and more like the back-story of one of Guy Ritchie’s knuckle-headed footsoldiers."[http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/93413/offender.html Offender - review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817005449/http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/93413/offender.html |date=17 August 2012 }} - Time Out, 9 August 2012
The film received a 4/5 rating from Heat magazine stating "this bloody borstal drama makes quiet political points alongside a powerful revenge storyline" and a 4/5 rating from Sky Movies calling it an "admirably crafted a compelling drama" and likening it to French prison film A Prophet and Alan Clarke's 1979 film Scum.{{cite web|last=Evans|first=Tim|title=Offender Review|url=http://skymovies.sky.com/offender/review|work=21st Century Scum|accessdate=8 August 2012|archive-date=30 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130014643/http://skymovies.sky.com/offender/review|url-status=live}}
CineVue presented a 3/5 review for the film, stating that "Scalpello's Offender is far from original" However it presented "enjoyable performances and an entertaining revenge plot."{{Cite web|url=http://www.cine-vue.com/2012/08/film-review-offender.html|title=Film Review: 'Offender' -|date=8 August 2012|access-date=8 August 2012|archive-date=8 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241008003304/https://cine-vue.com/2012/08/film-review-offender.html|url-status=live}}
In general the reviews rate the film for its depiction of characters involved in and affected by the riots. The Londonist states "It’s a surprisingly comprehensive look at the lives of young criminals, in particular their sense of isolation and disenchantment with a corrupt system."{{cite web|last=Fowler|first=Ben|title=Offender Review|url=http://londonist.com/2012/07/film-review-offender.php|work=The Londonist|date=14 July 2012|publisher=The Londonist|accessdate=8 August 2012}}
The film gained more positive reviews from urban and music press. Music sites Bring The Noise and MTV have rated the film 8/10{{cite web|last=Malick|first=Sherin|title=Offender Review|url=http://www.bringthenoiseuk.com/201208/films/film-review-offender|work=Offender Review Bring The Noise|publisher=Bring The Noise|accessdate=8 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306115713/http://www.bringthenoiseuk.com/201208/films/film-review-offender|archive-date=6 March 2013|url-status=dead}} and 7/10{{cite web|last=O'Neill|first=Lorenzo|title=FILM REVIEW: 'OFFENDER'|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/music/urban/5617-film-review-offender|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708053525/http://www.mtv.co.uk/music/urban/5617-film-review-offender|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 July 2012|publisher=MTV|accessdate=8 August 2012}} respectively.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=1821427|title=Offender}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Offender}}
Category:British prison drama films
Category:British thriller films
Category:British films about revenge
Category:2010s prison drama films