Sorry, this movie sucks

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Baby faced 21 year old Ron lands in jail on drugs charges. A few weeks into his time he approaches a prison veteran of 18 years named Earl. For some reason Ron brings out parental instincts in Earl and they become inseparable. This isn't your average prison movie. Don't go into this expecting a lot of bloody fights or riots because that's fair from what you'll get. You'll get a few guys trying to unsuccessfully rape Ron thanks to the interference of earl. And maybe even a shower stabbing or two. But what you'll get is a story of friendship and understanding. Although I wish certain parts of the film where explored a lot more like learning about earls past I feel like it's a solid, well thought out and executed script with great characters, shout out to JAN Ron's cell mate.For me it's a 9/10

With the powerhouse cast on board, I expected much better. Willem Dafoe, Danny Trejo, John Heard, Mickey Rourke, Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, is enough talent for two prison movies, but "Animal Factory" disappoints. The main problem is the entire production seems more like an expose on prison life, rather than a drama. I simply felt like an observer watching convict stereotypes on parade. There just wasn't enough story to keep an audience's interest. The longer "Animal Factory" went on, the more it approached total boredom. Sure an unrecognizable Mickey Rourke is a plus, and Willem Dafoe is always intriguing, but here they are mostly wasted, along with the rest of a fine cast. - MERK

Prison movies suffer so often from clichéd stereotyping that a genre pic that tries to avoid those pitfalls seems automatically masterful even if it's flawed.That's the case with this gritty tale of jail male bonding that eschews both the glamourized nostalgic and the over-the-top violent way material such as this is usually handled. Buscemi's matter-of-fact approach, along with a splendid cast, may result in an all too slackly paced narrative, but the setting breathes authenticity and the lack of manipulative story devices is refreshing. His direction is rather pedestrian, though, and some deeper characterizations would've been welcome.And the last act disappoints somewhat.6 out of 10 Mickey Rourkes in drag

What's really the point of this borefest? I want to see a prison film with some sort of story not one which ends up with one of them messing about in a garbage truck for what? To escape? We never saw anything after as the credits rolled up. This of course made it unreal. If anyone entered one of these machines he would be cut up in 10 minutes. Its also not what we see on any of these documentaries about America's most dangerous prisons where blacks,whites and Mexicans are separated and to step into the wrong turf would mean a week in the hospital. These kind of films are supposed to be escapist entertainment so why not throw in a few killings?