neil-upto11 The makers clearly had a good go at presenting some big issues but it's not enough. It's not so much a story as a bunch of socio-political observations strung together by a school play.And while it shows dedication that the cast must have worked for a share of the profits (ie. nothing) the acting is *so* poor that it detracts horribly from the film's various statements. The statements themselves are worthy but presented in a simplistic way that lacks punch - (Metaphorical) prisons are dark and bad; (Metaphorical) freedom is light and good. Good-looking gays on one side; ugly mutants on the other.I don't want to pile up the complaints because I think the motivation for the film is sound but you've got to do better if you're going to ask for people's time and money.

sebastianguppy Wow these guys know how to take a tired market that has become swollen with pretty poor product and looked the gay audience in the face and said - you don't have to watch all that mundane,clichéd crap - you can endure and watch decent and well made films with central gay characters. They did it with SHANK and blew audiences away and with RELEASE they have gone further.This is a chilling prison drama that draws you into the claustrophobia of the nondescript prison from from one. Father Gillie, stripped of his priestly garb and is marched through the recognisable process of being showered and dressed in prison clothes. Housed in his cell with a younger troubled man it doesn't take long before rumours abound that the Priest is really a paedophile. Now an easy target thanks to the insinuations he becomes hunted. Security comes in the form of a prison guard who befriends him and with whom love and an affair develops. When safely behind locked doors their illicit relationship blossoms and only then do we learn of the true crime that has put our priest inside...You will be drawn in, feel uncomfortable with the claustrophobia of the prison, the atmosphere is oppressively scary and you will become emotionally overcome at the true confession of his crime. BUT more importantly you will want more than anything for Father Gillie to get out and to be with his new lover, Officer Martin Crane.It's deep, dark and very moving. Great performances from all the cast....all I can say is you'll never look at surgical blue gloves in the same way every again after seeing this film......

simon_cba4 This film seemed to come out of nowhere for me, I'd heard next to nothing about it but boy am I glad I sat down to watch it! I recommend you do the same! The film centres around Father Jack, a priest imprisoned for a 'crime' that is not revealed to us until the last third of the movie, though we and the other prisoners suspect paedophilia. Whilst incarcerated, Jack finds himself falling for a prison guard (played by Garry Summers, who also appears in SHANK for those who are familiar with these writers' body of work) as well as under threat from a sinister prisoner named simply Max (Bernie Hodges.) Firstly the atmosphere created inside the prison is amazing - I don't know where it was filmed but it's tense, frightening, claustrophobic - and you constantly feel the threat of the other inmates just around the corner. The two leads in Daniel & Garry are excellent, creating a relationship you are absolutely able to believe and immerse yourself in, desperately rooting for them to be able to continue their relationship outside the prison.The script is well written and the skillfully woven narrative cleverly combines all manner of devices from dream sequences, to flash-backs and flash-forwards (forget LOST!) to keep you guessing right up until the end! Special mention must also go to Bernie Hodges who is fantastic in his portrayal as the eerie Max - I think a chill went down my spine whenever he appeared on screen! The film is romantic, scary, sad and heart-warming all at the same time and had me hooked throughout. It also carries a pretty strong message about the hypocrisies of religion and actually made me angry in places as well, particularly during a final confrontation with Father Gillie towards the end.I recommend you track this one down if you can and hope it gets a DVD release later in the year! I shall be looking out for more from this talented writer/director team, though it seems this film won't be getting shown at the London LGFF - what the hell BFI?!? Explain yourselves? Presumably it was submitted?!? A major oversight on their part in my opinion!

james richards Just caught this film at the End of the Pier International Film Festival, Worthing.It is a highly original film with some very contemporary and 'hot topic' issues raised in it's dark and twisted narrative.Father Jack is in prison for a crime that becomes apparent only after his clandestine relationship with a prison officer takes hold and blossoms into a honest and trustworthy love affair. His fellow detainees, however, believe he's a paedophile. The prisoners driven on by a mad prisoner who clearly controls more than just harden criminals inside the prison walls, is determined to bring about 'prison' justice on the Priest.It is tense and atmospheric and full of surprises. There was a palpable collective desire from the audience to see Jack leave prison and start a new life with the prison officer.The prison is shot and directed masterfully with imaginative edits and dialogue that keeps you hooked. Religious hypocrisy is everywhere in the prison. The use of candles - right up until the end of the credits, is a device used with skill and a cleverness - as it links the turmoil of questioning ones faith with the iconography of the burning flame representing Christ's light in the Church that Jack once belonged to.The performances are superb, Daniel Brocklebank, Bernie Hodges, Garry Summers all bringing believable characters and the situation that they find themselves in to life.The film won Best UK Feature Drama - and deservedly so. It was a mixed audience and the debate about the film's content and it's meaning carried on out on the pavement outside the cinema afterwards.Great stuff from indie Brit film makers.