O.G.
US, 2018, 113 minutes, Colour.
Jeffrey Wright, Theothus Carter, William Fichtner, Boyd Holbrook, Mare Winningham, David Patrick Kelly, Yul Vazquez.
Directed by Madeleine Sackler.
O.G. stands for Original Gangsta.
This is a very serious film about prison life. It was filmed on an actual prison and many of the cast are prisoners rather than actors, including The authors Carter who plays Beecher.
However, the focus of attention is Louis, played effectively by Jeffrey Wright. He committed a crime, a murder during a robbery when he was young and has spent 24 years in prison, good conduct, and now promoted for parole. These are the final weeks of his prison sentence and he is trying to keep his record clean.
There are groups in the prison, drug dealing, partisans, the young newcomer, Beecher, tempted to join the gang but taken on by Louis to persuade him not to. Louis gets him job in the car machine department where he works.
There are the expected scenes of prison life, interactions, cells, the yard… There are also scenes with the guards, especially Louis and a sympathetic guard played by William Fichtner.
The film was directed by documentary maker, Madeleine Sackler. She belongs to the Sackler family very much involved in the promotion of OxyContin and the various trials against the family. There are some adverse blog comments about the money for the making of this film from her family and other derogatory remarks about them. (See the documentary, The Crime of the Century, directed by Alex Gibney and All the Beauty and Bloodshed, directed by Laura Poitras.)
Be that as it may, this is a strong documentary portraying American prison life.
- An American prison film? Fiction? Documentary aspects?
- The prison location, cells, offices, dining, the yard, mechanic shop…? The musical score?
- Jeffrey Wright as Louis? 24 years in prison? The effect? The exploration of his character, survival in prison, lessening of his sentence, possibility for parole? His concern about his final weeks? His life in prison, the routines, the discussions with the guards, his work as a mechanic, his friends in the shop? Beecher and his arrival, the gangs in the prison, Louis fighting Beecher, wanting to save him, his explanations? The activities of the gang, drug importation? The authorities and severe interrogation of Louis? Calling him in, strict search? Humiliation? His discussions with Beecher, getting the job? The confrontation in the shop, shouting about the gun, the guards coming in, the falling of the attempt?
- Louis, the recollections about the crime, the robbery, his shooting? The attempt restorative justice, his agreeing, the facilitators in the prison and the meetings? The sister of the victim, his apologies, her not being able to agree to his release?
- The guards, their work, Danvers, friendship, interrogating and threatening Louis, the final farewell? The referral authorities, severe attitudes and interrogations?
- Beecher, crime, in prison, to be with the gang in the prison, the effect of Louis and his intervention?
- Louis, the final weeks, the dreams of freedom, waking again, the final, the clothes, his box, walking free?
