In the relatively fresh film career of actor David Jonsson, he’s already impressed in rom-com Rye Lane, sci-fi Alien: Romulus, and horror The Long Walk; he was even recognised as BAFTA’s rising star last year too. His latest role comes in prison thriller Wasteman, the directorial debut of artist-turned-filmmaker Cal McMau. It centres around mild-mannered convict Taylor (Jonsson) who, if he keeps his head down, has the opportunity of an early release. However, when his volatile new cellmate Dee (Tom Blyth) arrives, he becomes embroiled in a vicious feud that threatens his chances of parole.
Crafting a claustrophobic hierarchy of society within the wing, director McCau understands and adapts the tone we’ve come to expect from these microcosmic environments. He plays with the prison genre tropes and introduces modern technology to drive the story forward. Drones and smartphones are key to the narrative; scenes of violence are often captured through the frenetic lens of a phone, the frame smartly closing in to heighten the terror. As the plot thickens, Taylor is put under extreme pressure and while certain moments will feel familiar, this doesn’t diminish the relentless tension that grips the closing act.
Wracked with guilt, loneliness, and misery, David Jonsson almost physically shrinks into the complex role of Taylor. Battling his substance addiction, his dropped shoulders point inward and he keeps himself to himself – using his barbering skills to support his quietly debilitating habit. It’s a vulnerable, nuanced portrayal and the polar opposite of Dee who’s remarkably played by Tom Blyth. He’s a dangerous, unpredictable presence that lives out loud no matter where he finds himself. Their compelling dynamic is crucial, teetering on becoming a friendship but always on a knife-edge of conflict. As the archetypal veteran kingpin, Alex Hassell brings an odd levity to the film – kitted out in sports polos, he has a casually menacing sense of humour that doesn’t necessarily cut through the suspense, but enhances it.
An excellent addition to the great British canon of slammer cinema, Wasteman is a hugely impressive debut from McCau who expresses an aptitude for intensely intimate storytelling. Not only is it an unsettling reflection of contemporary life behind bars but also a fantastic showcase of our acting talent, Jonsson and Blyth each turning in brilliant performances.
Cinema Perspective 