Netflix Violent Crime Thriller Goes Beyond R-Rated With Star’s Best Performance
Vince Vaughn is primarily known for his fast-paced comedic roles in films such as Wedding Crashers, The Internship, and Dodgeball, though he has been known to appear in a handful of serious dramatic roles as well. While not all of his dramatic outings have been winners, such as 1998’s Psycho or his turn in the second season of True Detective, one 2017 film perfectly utilized Vaughn to spectacular results. The film, titled Brawl in Cell Block 99, is an explosively violent thriller, which will completely change your perception of the hilarious comedic actor.
Vince Vaughn Brawl In Cell Block 99
Brawl in Cell Block 99 is currently available to stream on Netflix, for those who haven’t yet had the chance to see Vince Vaughn take on the incredible leading performance. The film was written and directed by Bone Tomahawk filmmaker S. Craig Zahler, and stars Vaughn alongside Don Johnson, Udo Kier, Marc Blucas, Tom Guiry, Barry‘s Fred Melamed, and Dexter‘s Jennifer Carpenter. In order to take on the imposing lead role of this film, Vaughn gained 15 pounds of pure muscle, and trained as a fighter for several months, which shines through in his ultra-violent performance.
A Reverse Redemption Arc
The plot of Brawl in Cell Block 99 centers on a reformed drug trafficker named Bradley Thomas, who falls on hard times after being laid off from his above-board auto repair job. To make matters worse, he discovers that his wife is having an affair, causing him to launch into a violent outburst that sees him completely destroying her car. After cracking up under the stress, Thomas returns to the high-risk high-reward world of drug smuggling, and quickly comes to enjoy the spoils of his criminal lifestyle.
A Fight On The Inside
Over a year later, Thomas and his wife have patched things up and are expecting a child, when Thomas and his associates go out on a mission that goes horribly awry. After facing a shoot-out with the police, Thomas lands himself in prison, where he refuses to name any of his drug-pushing cohorts for a lighter sentence. As the plot of Brawl in Cell Block 99 carries on, Thomas’ boss begins sending him orders to carry out mob slayings from inside prison, threatening his pregnant wife if he does not comply.
In order to get close to his target, Thomas initiates fights with several guards, causing him to get transferred to an incredibly dangerous maximum security location. As Brawl in Cell Block 99 builds to a thrilling conclusion, the film takes a number of thrilling twists and turns that are sure to leave audiences stunned.
Artistic Accolades Despite Low Box Office Returns
Brawl in Cell Block 99 received massive critical acclaim upon release, resulting in a 90 percent certified fresh critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, the film failed to make money at the box office, taking in under a million dollars against an estimated production budget of over $4 million. Still, the film has earned numerous artistic accolades, and has been inducted into the permanent selection at the Museum of Modern Art.
Vince Vaughn At His Most Fierce
If you haven’t seen Brawl in Cell Block 99 yet, the movie can be streamed on Netflix. The film offers Vince Vaughn’s most intense and gripping performance to date, making it an instant classic for fans of comedy and violent crime films alike.
