He’s maybe the UK’s busiest black filmmaker/actor/producer, and few of us on this side of the pond actually know about him (you UK folks can correct me if I’m wrong about him being “the busiest”… Or is it Idris Elba’s crown to wear now?)

Regardless, Mr Noel Clarke is starring, alongside James D’Arcy (Master And Commander) in the film adaptation of a novel called Screwed: The Truth About Life as a Prison Officer, a bestselling work, both acclaimed and controversial, by British ex-prison officer-turned-author Ronnie Thompson (not his real name by the way).

The book, published in 2008, is said to be a non-fiction work, with a synopsis (courtesy of Amazon.com) that reads: “Ronnie Thompson was just an ordinary guy. That is, until he became a prison officer. By the time he started work at HMP Romwell, he realised he was actually a nurse, a copper, a probation officer, a carer, a counselor, a social worker and, of course, an incarcerator all in one. Oh, and a punch bag for the cons and bosses. In SCREWED, Ronnie tells it like it is. He reveals what really goes on behind bars – the times when force is necessary and used, and when it is unnecessary but still used. He exposes the underworld of bent screws, the drugs they traffic, the firms they work for and what they get paid for their sins. He shows how it is left down to a small group of officers to control an over-flowing prison, keep an eye out for corrupt governors, and dodge the deluded human rights campaigners. Ultimately, he shows us that being a good screw doesn’t always mean sticking to the rules…”

Sounds like a riot! 🙂

The film was directed by Reg Traviss (Joy Division), and Lionsgate will release it on June 3rd in the UK. Not sure about a stateside release however.

The above photo features both stars (Clarke and D’Arcy) on the film’s set.

Watch the full trailer below:

[HUG]