This review was made possible by Popped attending a Press and Industry screening for Wasteman at the 69th London Film Festival.
The brutal and ferocious UK prison thriller reveals its theatrical release date, starring two of Britain’s biggest rising stars in Tom Blyth and David Jonsson. Tom Blyth’s career rose after appearing in the popular YA franchise The Hunger Games, starring in its prequel The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes alongside powerhouse Rachel Zegler. David Jonsson’s career has also seen a fast and steady rise since starring in the co-owned BBC and HBO series Industry, and the South London-based rom-com Rye Lane. David Jonsson could also be recently seen in Lionsgate’s The Long Walk, where he received critical praise for his performance opposite Cooper Hoffman.
A Battle for Survival Behind Bars
In their latest project, Jonsson and Blyth step inside a prison for their new British film Wasteman, following convict Taylor (Jonsson), as he receives the hopeful news of early parole, after more than a decade locked inside. However, this is put under threat when new cellmate, Dee (Blyth), enters the prison and sets his eyes on becoming ‘top boy’ of the prison; ready to take on anyone that gets in his way. As Taylor’s release date creeps closer, he is left with a tricky choice to make that could affect his future.
Tom Blyth and Jonsson show immense range with their performances, as Blyth transforms into something we’ve never seen from him before. Blyth plays an unhinged, menacing and brash dealer who fears nothing and no one. While, Jonsson plays a struggling, timid drug addict who wishes to stay out of the way and get through each day with little trouble, all while hoping to spark a relationship with his estranged son on the outside. Dee’s volatile and intimidating persona sharply contrasts with Taylor’s vulnerability and hesitant nature. This contradiction creates an unsettling, sinister dynamic that grips the audience on edge, while evoking pity for Taylor due to the clear lopsided power dynamic.
Brutal Realism and Claustrophobic Direction
Director Cal McMau, who has previously directed music videos, adverts, and short films, set his eyes on a new challenge with a debut feature-length film that does not attempt to hold back in depicting the brutal realities of prison life – the culture, the dynamics, the cliques, and the trade affairs that occur inside the stone walls. It’s a relentlessly fast-paced 90-minute thriller, leaving little to no space to breathe – italmost becomes claustrophobic. The film holds the audience in a state of tension and never lets go. It’s bloody, frightening, and unnerving.
Visually, this is shot well, with the majority of the film taking place in the confines of tight prison cells. There are a lot of close-ups and handheld camerawork – heightening the claustrophobic feeling that this film holds the audience in. Creatively, the usage of smartphone footage that is inserted throughout the film also showcases the rebellious and defiant energy among prisoners in the prisons.
Through Taylor’s reflections, he discloses that his drug usage increased and worsened during his time in prison, thus subtly raising the question of whether prisons are leading to the rehabilitation of people or forcing them to integrate and mingle into a hostile and violent cycle. How much are prisons causing individuals to become the worst versions of themselves? It’s all in the subtext, but the film becomes stronger if it confidently stands in this, diving deeper into these themes and spending more time with them.
‘Wasteman’ – Final Thoughts
Overall, Wasteman is a gripping prison thriller that does exactly what it needs to do within its 90-minute time frame. Invest yourselves in both Tom Blyth and David Jonsson’s futures as they show everyone that they are here to stay. Wasteman is one of the strongest films being screened at the London Film Festival, and it should be a must-watch when it receives its theatrical release.
Wasteman releases in UK cinemas on February 20, 2026. Check out the trailer below:
