Prison films have been made in several countries and there are basically 2 kinds of them: heroic actions usually organised by innocently sentenced, and depressive gloominess and violence among the prisoners (often gang- related). In this Spanish highly acclaimed film, the two dramatic (although of different volume) triggering events occur at the same time: the to-be guard Juan is put into a cell, and the managerial inmate Malamadre gets loose and starts a huge riot inside the prison. The events followed are intense, dramatic, with twists and turns and mostly unpredictable - the ending included. The cast is evenly strong as well, all main actors got a Goya nomination and 3 of them won (Luis Tosar, Alberto Ammann, Marta Etura); the latter is virtually the only female visible apart (= not in the crowd).
Probably for men only, but a catchy experience.
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