Inside (2024)

-Written by Michelle Vorob.

2025 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!

As I went into this knowing only the title, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I know most people who sit down to watch Inside will at least know the basic synopsis, as well as the cast. What I wish to impart is I wasn't prepared for the profound effect Inside would have on me. The story unfolds in a “slow burn,” in that you won't truly know where the story is going and what happens to each character until the end. It also has an unexpected ending [that did not disappoint].

Some details aside, Inside essentially begins with Mel (Vincent Miller) being transferred from juvenile detention to an adult prison. Once there, he forms an almost father-son relationship with two different inmates: Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis) and Warren (Guy Pearce). Shepard is despised by most everyone, despite the fact that he's found God and preaches in the prison chapel. Warren, like Mel, seems to be more “normal,” but struggles with inner turmoil.

Inside obviously refers to being in prison, however, it also refers to each man's state-of-mind and what's going on inside each man's head & heart. As the movie unfolds, we learn more about each man and what brought them to this point in their lives. What stands out most is how destructive domestic abuse is, how it repeats, until and unless you can stop it or change. Simply having knowledge of it isn't enough and from what we see of the correctional system, there isn't always enough help, even when the officials involved are well-meaning. Ultimately, our choices are our own. We can't blame society, or a parent, for our own actions, and certainly not once we're adults.

Inside is utterly captivating, set in a mundane and normal reality, in which the disturbances lie in human behavior. The acting, on everyone's part, is so natural, that I was completely invested in what was happening to these people. I identified with them, despite the fact that Inside is about three Australian men in prison, all with traumatic pasts. The human condition transcends age, gender, everything we typically use to differentiate ourselves from others. Human nature is always the same, regardless of anything else. I wish more people would recognize that.

I will not give any details about this film. Normally, I enjoy sharing that, however, I feel the details and plot points of Inside are better left for each viewer to experience with no warning. I think the impact will then hit as intended. Inside is a raw and powerful study of human nature, especially the various, lasting effects of abuse & trauma, as well as the endurance of the human spirit.

The 2025 Tribeca Film Festival is currently running in NYC through June 15th.

Written & Directed by Charles Williams.

Starring Guy Pearce, Cosmo Jarvis, Vincent Miller, Toby Wallace, etc.

9.5/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW