PRISON dramas aren't a British speciality - and they're not usually my cup of tea. But The Escapist has a decent cast, superbly led by Manhunter's Brian Cox, and the premise that an escape really can be married to character development. Cox plays hardened lag Frank Perry, who receives his first letter for 14 years. He needs to escape to see his estranged daughter and he gives himself a month-long deadline to do it. Can Brodie (Liam Cunningham), Lenny (Joseph Fiennes) and Viv (Seu Jorge) help him to beat the system as well as the quietly-spoken but nasty fellow prisoner Riza (Damian Lewis). Partly shot at Dublin's (1795-1924) Kilmainham Jail, the film is full of the usual scenes you'd expect in a story like this, but at least director and co-writer Rupert Wyatt gives The Escapist a mind of his own. Fans of '70s TV series will enjoy the score by Benjamin Wallfisch and a lot of work has gone in to capturing the mentally-challenging sounds of prison life. After 101 minutes under the cosh, you'll be glad to escape the growing sense of claustrophobia at the end. | 
