After acting in the likes of Top Boy and Adolescence as well as writing, producing and starring in his own series, Bulletproof, it felt like just a matter of time before filmmaking all-rounder Ashley Walters would direct for the big screen. His debut feature is Animol which takes place within the unforgiving walls of a juvenile detention centre. The plot follows taciturn teen Troy (Tut Nyuot) who is being held on remand following a botched robbery. On day one he befriends the equally vulnerable Krystian (Vladyslav Baliuk) but his safety is threatened by volatile cellmate Mason (Ryan Dean) and menacing ‘top dog’ Dion (Sekou Diaby) who strong-arms him into participating in his illicit schemes.
Prison dramas have very much become their own sub-genre, particularly within the type of British crime films often described as ‘gritty’. Like in the institutions themselves, there’s an unwritten set of rules that are followed in telling these tales, and Walters executes his stylish vision in this mould. The wing is captured with lighting as harsh as the reality it contains and through the protagonist’s fear he crafts a gripping sense of claustrophobic dread; Troy wants to keep his head down but, to survive, he’s forced to immerse himself in the prison’s savage social structure. Screenwriter Nick Love, a previous peer of Walters, pens the script and though he weaves in some compelling contemporary themes, his narrative leans a little too heavily into tropes and suffers in comparison to recent likeminded hit Wasteman or Jimmy McGovern’s hard-hitting TV anthology, Time.
In his first leading role, Tut Nyuot fronts an exciting collective of young actors and without saying a great deal, he embodies Troy’s constant state of anxiety with an expressive performance. Ryan Dean is also very impressive as Troy’s deeply troubled adversary, Mason. Bringing a bit of experience and gravitas to the production is Stephen Graham, another of the director’s frequent collaborators. He plays welfare officer Claypole who offers some wisdom along the way; his scenes are short and impactful until he takes centre stage in a jarringly lighthearted final act sequence that threatens to undercut the brooding tone of the entire film. This aside, Animol is a striking and suspenseful thriller and a sign of promising things to come from Walters and his talented cast.
