Customer Reviews

Down Time

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

You have to like low-budget independent films to get into this film but it is a good one! The best description that I can come up with for Down Time is that it is like the film "Clerks" in prison. The film moves along in a docu-drama style driven by a surprisingly good "grungy" soundtrack. I really enjoyed this film but remember this is not "The Rock".

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An excellent movie. Was both funny and scary at the same time. Highly recommend it...and, I usually go for the Block Buster movies!

Down Time came recommended by a friend when I mentioned I've seen the Australian indie "Chopper" (one of the early works of Eric Bana and none too fascinating either.) Filmed in unmistakably low-fi B&W tint, with a macho heavy-metal thrash soundtrack, the look and sound were clearly going for gritty. But along with the downbeat storyline, they just make sure that this attempted low-budget film is just that -- cheap. Cliches abound: violence, drug abuse, sheer boredom of an inmate's life. The shock or fear quotient is largely derived from disgusting moments from uninspired characters play-acting stuff like a high school drama. If you want raw, there's "Romper Stomper" with Russel Crowe. But this farce is a strictly skippable amateur effort that looks more like outtakes from a B film on some local channel.

The payoff from a great prison film - and this definitely is one - is the sense of incarceration that envelopes the viewer. You are there, immersed in the noise, the danger, the tedium of the joint itself. In Down Time the directing, editing, and cinematography shove the prison experience down your throat in spades. The payoff is a sly narrative twist at the end which both ties the threads of the story together and gives an additional ironic kick to the viewer's identification with the film. Can't give it away here, but buy it and see for yourself! You won't forget the experience. Great sound track too!

This movie is a very well written and directed. The story line is solid and gives a great perspective on prison life. I definitely recommend it!

This movie was a great interpretation of real prison life. I loved all the prison scenes, it gave me a sense of what its like.My favorite parts were the halarious card table scenes!!Big Mario was great. He was like the laid back tough guy.The skunk eye had me rollin. The graffic scenes added great action to the movie.This director didn't miss a beat with movie, and i can't wait to see future films by him. I highly reccomend it!!!

I am a big fan of low budget independent filmmaking and Sean Wilson (11) Down Time is a maverick achievement. Shot on a shoe string budget (check the stats), this is no Hollywood action film, but what you get is from the gut film making. Gritty performances by WilliamVan Nolan and Sam McBride make this a stand out film in the low budget arena. Some of the card playing scenes reminded me of the film Clerks (1994) with lots of off the wall snappy dialogue. You could also compare it to some the jail scenes in Jim Jarmusch's Down by law (1986) both films have lots of long still shots that just kind of hand there and make you feel the oppressive boredom of prison life.
Sure there are some technical problems with this film and some of the side characters acting is weak but you have to be able to over look that. Down Time is what independent filmmaking is all about.

The best part of this movie is the Spitkiss song "T.L.F". How can you not love a movie which features a Spitkiss song on it's soundtrack?

There are good movies and there are " B " movies. Seems there is new category,the " D " movies.
Never judge the movie by it's cover,tough men surviving prison life.Seems it is tough men surviving the movie.

Down Time is a intense look at life behind bars. In the vain of "OZ" and "American Me" it shows the hardcore reality of life behind bars. Great Movie I give it a Ten!!!!!!