The Escapist

Taking a much-deserved leading role, oor ain Brian Cox is on fine form in this surprising and unusual prison escape story. As Frank Perry, a longtime convict attempting to escape from his cell to greet his sick daughter, Cox is everything we have come to expect and more: vulnerable, dependable and menacing. All the usual prison ingredients are present and banged-up, from the wide-eyed innocent (Dominic Cooper) the resident psycho (Steven Mackintosh), the top dog (Damian Lewis) and the wise old veteran (Liam Cunningham), but director Wyatt fleshes out his characters with real flair and vigour. The film’s real trump card, however, is the escape itself. Exceptionally well crafted, the technique is ingenious, the storytelling devices daring and rewarding, and the ending, which takes the film into the most philosophical waters a film of this kind has yet navigated, will have you locked in conversation for a long while.