Step inside Folsom Prison with three men from the outside as they join level-four convicts for a four-day intensive group therapy retreat. Together, they will all participate in "the work" of revealing their most raw emotions in order to rid themselves of the deep aggression their feel inside. One at a time, the men from the inside get in touch with themselves, break down, and all at once begin to heal, but it's the men from outside that must let go of their preconceived notions of what they're supposed to feel, and what the prisoners what them to feel, and just release the pain and anger they've collected over time. In their debut feature, directors Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous volunteered for the organization that hosts the therapy session for many years to gain the trust of the thick-skinned subjects, who now are not only sharing their feelings with the room, but with audiences everywhere. While it's easy to write off violent convicts as they sit in prison, The Work drops us behind the walls and alters your perception of rehabilitation. The only request from the men: listen without judgement.

MOVIE REVIEW

SIFF Capsule Review: If you’ve ever wanted to see what hardened criminals do in group therapy, now is your chance. The Work is a surprisingly captivating and emotional documentary set almost entirely inside a single room in Folsom Prison. Filmmakers Jairus McLeary and Gethin Aldous more or less let their subjects do the hard work as you get to see prisoners face their demons in shockingly explosive ways. It’s fascinating to see these men--one of whom apparently gutted another in two--vacillate between violence, anger and vulnerability.
Read our Work, The movie review »