a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

An emotionally driven film. The storyline is unpredictable, but it left a lot of important questions open. That is why gave it only 7 star. There is a lot of violence in the movie, but it takes place in a prison environment so I do would rather label it "drama" than an action movie.

Eric Love (Jack O'Connell) is a violent juvenile who gets transferred to the adult prison or Starred Up. The first thing he does upon getting into his cell is to make a shiv. He mistakenly knocks out another prisoner and then attacks the guards in the subsequent mêlée. His absentee father Neville (Ben Mendelsohn) tries to calm him down so that he can get treated by therapist Oliver Baumer (Rupert Friend).This movie isn't big on expositions. It's very raw and unpredictable. It's also not big on pronunciation and the accent can be a little thick. Honestly, I don't think I would get the father son relationship without reading it in the description and some of the characters are confusing. I can't follow everybody but Jack O'Connell shows good command of the screen even against great fellow actors. He is a promising newcomer after a stint on Skins. He could have an interesting career.

Jack O' Connell seems to be the rising star of cinema at the moment . Starring in the critically acclaimed British thriller '71 he went on to star n the Oscar bait big budget Hollywood movie UNBROKEN . With this earlier film from last year STARRED UP we see the film that brought O'Connell to the publics attention where he plays imprisoned violent thug Eric Lee Now I'm sure Jackie boy is a great guy in real life and is more than a little embarrassed about all the hype involving his rise to stardom and this is one of the many problems with STARRED UP- it's difficult to buy in to the brutal nihilistic persona of Love as played by O'Connoll . Okay I'm the first to stick my hand up and say I'm prejudiced by Alan Clarks 1979 film SCUM which is the be all and end of all of British prison cinema and SCUM gave birth to the legend that is Ray Winstone . Even watching SCUM in 2015 where Winstone is a national institution you're never aware that it's a well known actor playing a character called Carline - Carling is Carling a well rounded individual who exists in the real world . You never get the same feeling with Love or any of the other characters who you are painfully aware are merely plot devices played by thespian luvvies in a rather clichéd film with an obvious redemption plot at its heart and no amount of shouting "FAHK" and "KANT" can change this and it's a very poor showing from director David MacKenzie and screenwriter Johnathan Asser leave no stone unturned in the cliché stakes . What makes it even worse is the ridiculous ending which jars with the rest of the film . Okay it wasn't a great film up till this point but was relatively consistent and did try to emulate realist tones but the whole film collapses due to over the top and very silly ending . One can understand O Connell getting a lot of praise for his role by some critics there's little else to praise

I "met" the actor watching quite good British TV series - Skins. The second time I faced him in the psychological thriller Eden Lake. Then there was the recent Unbroken movie directed by Angelina Jolie. And judging by these films (and the series) I am very happy how his acting career "proceeds".The movie is about Eric Love (O'Connell) - 19-year-old, incredibly cruel, violent and straightforward teenager. Starring up into the new jail, plunging into a new environment, Eric surprise us with his actions and decisions. From the moment of his arrival he causes only trouble and nuisance as to prison guards and so to prisoners.Neville Love (Ben Mendelsohn) adds fuel to the fire - father of Eric whom he had not seen 5 years. Neville, at first glance, seems to be even more "broken" than his son and his attempts to help Eric at first seem strange and suspicious.Another highlight of the film, in addition to the excellent acting and the story is the absence of music as such. This feature makes the film even more clear and straightforward.The film left a lasting impression because of it's honesty and strong emotional message. Honest and brutal, Starred Up is not aimed at a wide audience, it is very secret and intimate way talks about human relationships.The final scenes are striking, incredibly strong and comprehensive final.8/10.