Wasteman shows that if there’s one thing prisoners should NOT be allowed in their cell, it’s a kettle, since all they seem to do if pour sugar in it, boil it up and then throw it on someone!
You’re in jail, you have only COLD WATER for the whole of your sentence, and if you don’t like it, tough shit!
In a world where it seems to be easy to cover your cell door’s peephole, so prison wardens can’t look in, Taylor’s (David Jonsson – The Long Walk) been in for a long time, and might become eligible for early release… well, until he suddenly gets a new angry cellmate, Dee (Tom Blyth – The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes), who might scupper his plans to go straight, as the chap is up to all sorts of nefarious this and that, including getting drone deliveries.
However, I don’t understand how the wardens seem to allow him to hold more stock in his cell than Tesco!
Still, can they become friends, as such – or at least learn to get along, until Taylor’s out, or is Dee a complete psycho and thus, his antics are unavoidable?
Well, that question might be difficult to answer for the two people who came into the film after it had been running for 25 mins, since there was only another hour to go before the end credits started!
Wasteman is a decent film with good performances, and manages to keep the running time to a tight 90 minutes, but while it’s worth a watch, it won’t be the best film you’ll ever see about life in prison. Still, it’s always amusing when you realise that EVERY TV and film series like this is shot on the SAME prison set. Recent examples include Time, Screw and ITV’s The Lady.
I did also wonder why this film was shot in a tight 1.66:1 aspect ratio instead of a more traditional 1.85:1. Was it to attempt to give a more claustrophobic feel to the film? Hmm… not sure it makes that sort of difference, and just makes me think more about that while I’m watching it, rather than the content of the film.
NOTE: There are no mid- nor post-credits scenes.
Wasteman is in cinemas now, and is available to pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 90 minutes
Release date: February 13th 2026
Studio: Lionsgate Films UK
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Cinema: Odeon Trafford Centre
Rating: 7/10
Director: Cal McMau
Producers: Sophia Gibber, Myles Payne
Screenplay: Hunter Andrews, Eoin Doran
Music: Forest Swords
Cast:
Taylor: David Jonsson
Dee: Tom Blyth
Paul: Alex Hassell
Gaz: Corin Silva
Stu: Keaton Ancona-Francis
Maxi: Layton Blake
Robby: Neil Linpow
Browning: Paul Hilton
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.