Brawl in Cell Block 99

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1:40

Brawl in Cell Block 99

2017

2h 12m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

90%

Tomatometer

99 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

A former boxer loses his job as an auto mechanic, and his troubled marriage is about to expire. At this crossroads in his life, he feels that he has no better option than to work as a drug courier. He soon finds himself in a gunfight between police officers and his own ruthless allies. When the smoke clears, Bradley is badly hurt and thrown in prison, where his enemies force him to commit acts of violence that turn the place into a savage battleground.

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Critics Consensus

Brawl in Cell Block 99 rides a committed Vince Vaughn performance into the brutally violent -- and undeniably entertaining -- depths of prison-set grindhouse genre fare.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Oct 23, 2017

4/5

Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a comeback and a showcase for the bone-dry delivery of Vince Vaughn, who has never brooded bigger and badder than he does here.

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Ed Potton

The Times (UK)

Oct 20, 2017

4/5

I can't remember violence in a film eliciting such verbal reactions.

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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Metro Newspaper (UK)

Oct 19, 2017

3/5

[Vince] Vaughn is captivating in his vulnerable, forlorn-eyed, rage-fuelled intensity. More than anything, it's him that compels you to watch through these 132 demolishing minutes.

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Brendan Cassidy

InSession Film

Jul 2, 2024

The year’s best film about brutal and emotional anger lies within S. Craig Zahler’s tribute to 1970’s exploitation films.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Jun 18, 2023

3/5

…Vaughn has never been better than he is here…

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Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

Jan 10, 2023

As with Tomahawk, the film looks absolutely hideous: super-digital, with lots of interiors bathed in sick greens and grays. Please get this man a great color correction package for his next feature.

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Joe U.

@ACSolarski Jun 27, 2026

The idiots that wrote this garbage knows they listen to all your phone calls in prison right? And watching Vaughn throw punches reminds me of when my wife tried Tae Kwon Do. She had better form and her form was terrible. I imagine her acting is better too.

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M S

@Beavis44 May 25, 2026

An odd movie. Totally unbelievable and almost cartoonish. I like a gritty film, but this one like I said it’s almost like a cartoon. There’s nothing realistic about it. After I watched it I was like why did Vince Vaughn and Don Johnson sign up for this?

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Doug I

@Dai64 May 23, 2026

I love Vince Vaughn and he doesn't disappoint in this film but the second half of this movie is a complete failure. The time he spends in prison is absolutely laughable. Dark halls and dingy cells and corrupt guards throughout. If that isn't bad enough, then the torture belt is introduced. American prisons aren't like this as anyone that's been there or visited one or even watched a documentary would know. The story would have been a little more believable if it was in a country where this does in fact happen. They took a good story and turned it into a joke.

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First L.

@MCCLMR Apr 12, 2026

Very simplistic but enjoyable.

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Steven F.

@SteveGotScored Mar 3, 2026

One of the most brutal action movies ever!

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Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Jan 25, 2026

Not much of a story. Just a super visually gory, and violent movie. I guess Vince was trying to be gritty but it turned out a 2 hour long mess.

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Synopsis

A former boxer loses his job as an auto mechanic, and his troubled marriage is about to expire. At this crossroads in his life, he feels that he has no better option than to work as a drug courier. He soon finds himself in a gunfight between police officers and his own ruthless allies. When the smoke clears, Bradley is badly hurt and thrown in prison, where his enemies force him to commit acts of violence that turn the place into a savage battleground.

Director: S. Craig Zahler
Producer: Dallas Sonnier, Jack Heller
Screenwriter: S. Craig Zahler
Distributor: RLJE Films
Production Co: IMG Media, XYZ Films
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 13, 2017
Runtime: 2h 12m

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