Inside (2024 film)

Last updated

Inside
Inside 2025 film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Charles Williams
Screenplay by Charles Williams
Produced by
  • Kate Glover
  • Marian Macgowan
Starring
CinematographyAndrew Commis
Production
companies
  • Simpatico Films
  • Never Sleep Pictures
  • Macgowan Films
Distributed byBonsai Films
Release dates
Running time
104 minutes [1]
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Inside is a 2024 Australian prison drama film from writer/director Charles Williams and starring Guy Pearce. The film was theatrically released in Australian cinemas on 27 February 2025 and in the US on 20 June 2025.

Contents

Premise

After being transferred from juvenile to adult prison, Mel Blight is taken under the wing of both Mark Shepard, Australia’s most despised criminal, and Warren Murfett, a soon to be paroled inmate. [2]

Cast

Production

Development

The film was directed by Charles Williams, who also wrote the screenplay. Inside is his feature film debut. Williams was awarded the Palme d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival his short film All These Creatures [3] .

In order to achieve a high degree of authenticity in his film, Williams researched for years in prisons throughout Australia, but above all in his native Victoria.

The film received funding from Screen Australia [4] and Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Premiere Fund and Screen NSW in 2023. [5] Bonsai Films distributed for Australia and New Zealand, Quiver Distribution for North America with Goodfellas handling international sales. [6]

Casting

Guy Pearce was confirmed as leading the cast in September 2023. [7] Later in December, Cosmo Jarvis and Vincent Miller were confirmed to join the cast. [8]

Filming

Principal photography took place in Melbourne, Victoria in 2023, [9] and wrapped on December 19, 2023. [10] Parts of the film were shot on location at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre and the newly constructed Western Plains Correctional Centre. [11]

Reception

Reviews

The film currently has a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics particularly praised the script, direction and performances, citing it as Guy Pearce's "finest work" [12] , Cosmo Jarvis' turn "Oscar-worthy" [13] , Vincent Miller's performance "a revelation." [14] and that Williams "makes his way into the pantheon of great Australian directors." [15]

David Erlich at Indiewire gave the film his critic's pick, writing "Williams’ debut is so replete with such moments of raw compassion that it almost invisibly accumulates a deep well of emotion." [16] While Emma Vine at Loud and Clear reviews proclaimed the film as "One of the best of the year." [17]

Release

The film premiered in the Bright Horizons competition selection at the 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival on 9 August 2024. [18] [19]

It was theatrically released in Australia on 27 February 2025. [20]

Inside had its North American premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival on 7 June, [21] followed by a US theatrical release on 20 June. [22]

The film was released on Netflix in Australia on 1 September 2025. [23]

Reception

As of September 2025Inside has a score of 97% based on 30 critics' reviews. [24]

It was widely praised by critics. Luke Buckmaster gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, writing in The Guardian , "Inside is very good from the start, but excels in its second hour, as the blood of the drama really starts flowing". [20] David Rooney, writing in The Hollywood Reporter , praised Andrew Commis’ cinematography and Chiara Costanza’s score as well as the performances. [25]

Accolades

Inside won the Best Original Feature Film Screenplay award at the 2025 Australian Writers' Guild Awards (the AWGIEs). [26]

References

  1. "Inside (18)". British Board of Film Classification . 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  2. Leffler, Rebecca (4 May 2023). "Goodfellas unveils Cannes 2023 slate, includes starry period drama 'The Flood', 'Inside' with Guy Pearce (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  3. "ALL THESE CREATURES".
  4. Slatter, Sean (13 April 2022). "Screen Australia puts $1 million in development funding toward 31 projects". If.com. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  5. "Screen Australia announces $10 million of production funding for nine projects". If.com. 25 September 2023. Archived from the original on 18 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  6. Frater, Patrick (17 February 2023). "Guy Pearce in Prison Drama 'Inside,' From Palme d'Or Winner Charles Williams (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  7. Rosser, Michael (25 September 2023). "An Ideal Wife', 'The Fox' among projects to receive $6.4m Screen Australia funding". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 8 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  8. Slatter, Sean (17 December 2023). "Vincent Miller, Cosmo Jarvis join Guy Pearce in Charles Williams' 'Inside'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. "Guy Pearce Prison Drama Inside Wraps in Victoria". Filmink.com. 17 December 2023. Archived from the original on 17 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  10. "Guy Pearce's thriller wraps filming in Melbourne". Kemps Film and TV Production Services Handbook . 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  11. "Guy Pearce movie shoot did not disrupt inmates at Malmsbury justice centre". Bendigo Advertiser. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  12. "'Inside' Review: Guy Pearce Is a Lit Fuse of Internal Contradictions in Haunting Australian Prison Drama". The Contending. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  13. "Tribeca 2025: Stellar Turns By Finn Wittrock, Asa Butterfield, Travis Jeffery, Cosmo Jarvis, Agathe Rouselle, Jacob Tremblay, Vicky Krieps, Vincent Miller Mark The Fest". The Hollywood Reporter. 10 June 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  14. ""INSIDE"". The Hollywood Reporter. 7 June 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  15. "Charles Williams' Inside is top tier Australian cinema". Screenhub. 12 February 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  16. "'Inside' Review: Guy Pearce Delivers Another Incredible Supporting Performance in Australian Prison Drama That Cuts Through All the Bull". Indiewire. 11 June 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  17. "Inside (2025) Film Review: Impactful Festival Best". Loud and Clear Reviews. 8 June 2025. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  18. "Festival Archive (1952–2024)". Melbourne International Film Festival.
  19. Frater, Patrick (11 July 2024). "'Janet Planet', 'Inside', 'The Village Next to Paradise' Set to Compete in Melbourne Festival's Bright Horizons Section". Variety. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  20. 1 2 Buckmaster, Luke (27 February 2025). "Inside review – captivating prison drama with painfully good performances". The Guardian . Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  21. "2025 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Archived from the original on 4 June 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  22. "Quiver Distribution Acquires Australian Prison Drama 'Inside' Starring Guy Pearce, Cosmo Jarvis & Vincent Miller". Deadline . 24 April 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  23. "Inside". Netflix . Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  24. "Inside (2024)". Rotten Tomatoes. 20 June 2025. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  25. Rooney, David (10 June 2025). "'Inside' Review: Guy Pearce Is a Lit Fuse of Internal Contradictions in Haunting Australian Prison Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
  26. "'Inside', 'Addition' on top at AWGIEs". if.com.au . 13 February 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.