By TAYLOR VAN ARSDALE
Ric Roman Waugh’s “Felon” is a gritty look at the reality of the events that can transpire when a law-abiding citizen — and one of modest financial means — is convicted of involuntary manslaughter and suddenly finds himself a victim of the injustice and brutality of the prison system.
Stephen Dorff plays Wade Porter, an average American guy trying to live the American Dream — he’s just bought a home that he shares with his live-in love/soon-to-be new wife (Marisol Nichols) and their young son.
They’ve allocated most of their liquid assets to pay for their upcoming nuptials, so things are pretty tight. But as fate would have it, Porter’s also just been approved for a business line of credit.
Life is looking up … that is until a break-in occurs, and Porter, in a fit of blind rage, charges after and kills the perp.
What follows is a series of escalating events; one more unfortunate than the other, until what was to be a “short” 18-month stint in a minimum security prison, turns into a five year ordeal with Porter being transferred to the Security Housing Unit (aka the SHU) a special facility for the deadliest of criminals.
The film is based on actual events that transpired at California’s Corcoran State Prison and was primarily shot on location at the New Mexico State Penitentiary, home of one of the deadliest prison riots in U.S. history, with actual prisoners functioning as extras in the film. Of this Dorff said, “I was surrounded with the real deal.”
On set, Dorff, a naturally gregarious guy, is used to hanging out and chatting with the crew, but admitted he was reminded not to, “get too close” to the hardened criminals.
At times, it was Dorff said, “a little awkward because some of them were excited and wanted to hang.”
Waugh shot the film primarily in sequence so Dorff’s responses to the atrocities encountered in the prison system seem even more organic.
Val Kilmer makes an appearance as John Smith a legendary lifer with a bad attitude, and Harold Perrineau is exceptional as the violence-addicted prison guard with a penchant for torturing the inmates.
There are some obvious questions you will ask yourself, such as: “Why didn’t anyone ever call 911?” and “Would a psychotic rogue such as Kilmer’s character truly take up with and befriend the naïve Porter?
But suspend your disbelief on these points because Dorff’s performance is riveting and well worth the price of admission.
Taylor Van Arsdale is a writer/producer and movie reviewer for the Daily Press. She
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 26, 2008. Read the original PDF.