Wasteman

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Wasteman

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1h 30m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

100%

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41 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Taylor is branded a "wasteman" by society, his family and in prison. In a world of parties, gangs and violence, he's managed to keep out of trouble. However, with the arrival of chaotic cellmate Dee, the chance to make early parole and get his life back are put in jeopardy.

Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

2d

3.5/4

It's a genre piece with tragic weight.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

4d

3/4

Through the jangly use of cellphone cameras capturing violence on the cellblock and a winnowed down running time, “Wasteman” doesn’t waste one second of a film time. It certainly has a surplus of talent in front of and behind the camera.

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Marshall Shaffer

Slant Magazine

4d

3/4

Cal McMau’s Wasteman illustrates why a powerful paradox about prisons makes them such a popular staging ground for psychodramas.

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Carla Hay

Culture Mix

3h

The intense drama Wasteman offers a glimpse into the brutal lives of two British prisoners who form an alliance as volatile as the dangers they experience in prison. David Jonsson and Tom Blyth give searing performances.

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Andrew Parker

The Gate

2d

8/10

It’s impressive what McMau is able to accomplish behind the camera in such a small space but it’s the chance to watch a pair of continually evolving performers in the lead roles that makes Wasteman so electrifying.

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Christian Gallichio

The Playlist

2d

B+

While “Wasteman” doesn’t break any new narrative ground, it is nevertheless a calculated and enticing debut from a director to watch, in addition to featuring a performance from an actor already on the rise.

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Philip G

@RT01722376 7h

Wow. The tension was palpable. A sense of dread over me throughout the film.

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nilufer E

@Nilicim 1d

A prison drama that somehow lacks tension, grit, and emotional pull. Wasteman should’ve been right up my alley, but it ends up feeling hollow and forgettable.

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Dale R

@Dalezie 1d

I doubt that this very violent and unsettling film will have mainstream appeal, but I appreciate that people make these kinds of movies. For me, the film had an underlying message to highlight the perils of addiction and the suffering inherent in overcoming it. The oppressive feeling running throughout the movie kept me gripped and the unpredictable climax was memorable long after the credits rolled. The pulsating soundtrack is also very fitting.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 2d

Success in 1.5 hours.

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Cal McMau

Director

David Jonsson

Taylor

Tom Blyth

Dee

Alex Hassell

Paul

Corin Silva

Gaz

Paul Hilton

Browning

Wasteman: Trailer 1

1:57

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Synopsis

Taylor is branded a "wasteman" by society, his family and in prison. In a world of parties, gangs and violence, he's managed to keep out of trouble. However, with the arrival of chaotic cellmate Dee, the chance to make early parole and get his life back are put in jeopardy.

Director: Cal McMau
Producer: Sophia Gibber, Myles Payne
Screenwriter: Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran, Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran
Distributor: Vertigo Releasing / Sunrise Films
Production Co: Agile Films
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 30m