It is fair to say to nobody expected this from Vince Vaughn
Brawl In Cell Block 99 – which has just been added to Netflix in the UK – marked a massive departure for Vince Vaughn, as he ditched his loveable comic persona to appear in one of the most brutal and uncompromising American genre films of the last few years.
The Wedding Crashers star had been synonymous with being a friendly, funny guy, and despite his dalliances with blockbusters (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and horrors (The Cell, the ill-conceived Psycho remake), many thought Vaughn had found his comfort zone and was staying in for the foreseeable future.
Turns out we were wrong.
In Brawl In Cell Block 99, Vaughn plays Bradley Thomas, a former boxer turned drug runner who ends up in prison when a deal goes south. That is far from the end of it though, as a riot kicks off in the prison, with the sole intention being nothing more than one big distraction from Bradley getting killed by a rival gang.
It is a slow burn, riveting film that builds to a jaw-dropping climax.
We spoke to Vaughn on the film’s first release, if you want to know more from the horse’s mouth.
Critics absolutely loved it, scoring 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it got reviews like this:
“Vaughn is so committed and so unrecognisable here, he actually convinces his rapt audience that a murderous rampage through the penitentiary system is a brilliant idea.” – New York Post
“Brawl In Cell Block 99 – and boy, does that title only tell part of the story – is a modern late night movie classic.” – Den Of Geek
“This painstakingly paced thriller displays an intensity of purpose that makes it impossible to dismiss as well-executed trash.” – New York Times
“Brawl in Cell Block 99’s economy of storytelling is as efficiently brutal as the eventual skull-crackings.” – Slant Magaine
“Brawl In Cell Block 99 takes a bit to get started, but when it does, it’s a punishing spiral into the depths of exploitation madness too gory to believe.” – We Got This Covered
Vince Vaughn recently reteamed with Brawl In Cell Block 99 director S. Craig Zahler, for the controversial cop drama Dragged Across Concrete – but you can check out their first collaboration on Netflix now.
