Wasteman - Review

The Good Life.

Review written by Jack Aling

Wasteman is directed by Cal McMau and written by Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran.

A British prison thriller following two inmates whose relationship escalates from gritty drama to pulse-pounding suspense. Filmed partly at Shepton Mallet Prison in Somerset.

There is an end in sight to David Jonsson docile routine in prison when he is offered a pending early release, but a troublesome new cellmate, Tom Blyth, threatens his future in Wasteman.

As gritty as a British prison drama can get, this claustrophobic thriller is shot in tight close-ups, making the violence, rage, and despair inescapable. The film rides on the talent of its two British rising stars, who both excel as their dynamic slowly builds to an explosive boiling point.

A story of survival by any means necessary, packed with ambition and overflowing with aggression.

Our verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.

Wasteman arrives in UK cinemas 20 February 2026.

Read more of Jack's reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling