Lock Up

"How much can a man take...before he gives back?"

1989 1h 49m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 1,374

ActionCrimeDramaThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Frank Leone is nearing the end of his prison term for a relatively minor crime. Just before he is paroled, however, Warden Drumgoole takes charge. Drumgoole was assigned to a hell-hole prison after his administration was publicly humiliated by Leone, and has now arrived on the scene to ensure that Leone never sees the light of day.

“How much can a man take...before he gives back?”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Sylvester Stallone
Frank Leone
Donald Sutherland
Warden Drumgoole
John Amos
Captain Meissner
Sonny Landham
Chink Weber
Tom Sizemore
Dallas
Frank McRae
Eclipse
Darlanne Fluegel
Melissa
William Allen Young
Braden

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Flynn
Writers: Henry Rosenbaum, Richard Smith, Jeb Stuart
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 92% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Flynn, shot by Donald E. Thorin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Bill Conti. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Michael N. Knue shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Sylvester Stallone and Donald Sutherland and John Amos carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "How much can a man take...before he gives back?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0097770 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Flynn directs. Donald E. Thorin behind the camera. Bill Conti scores. Michael N. Knue cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 92% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
237 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by John Flynn, shot by Donald E. Thorin. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Bill Conti. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Michael N. Knue shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Sylvester Stallone and Donald Sutherland and John Amos carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "How much can a man take...before he gives back?".
8IMDB entry: tt0097770 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Donald E. Thorin
Original score: Bill Conti
Editing: Michael N. Knue
Production design: Bill Kenney
Costume design: Bernie Pollack
Makeup / hair: Ann Brodie
Runtime: 109 min · 1h 49m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $24,000,000
Box office: $22,099,847
Return: 92% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Lock Up (1989)

Also by

John Flynn

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Gimly2018-09-07
★ 6/10
My roommate and I were on a Stallone kick recently, but we never got around to watching Lock Up because we were looking for some hard (see: over-the-top) action, and this sounded more like a wistful drama. Eventually though, Lock Up came due, and I... actually kind of loved it? It's about as cheesy I had feared, but I what never occurred to me is that that cheese would totally work. I mean, it's not exactly Shawshank we're working with here, but if I were putting together a list of all the good prison movies ever made, Lock Up would be on it. Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go.
CinemaSerf2022-11-10
★ 6/10
"Frank" (Sylvester Stallone) has only six months left on his prison sentence when he is put into the care of warden "Dromgoole" (Donald Sutherland) - a man who loathes him. Over the course of the film we learn just why as he ensures that that "Frank" is victimised, attacked, goaded and constantly provoked. Can this determined prisoner find the mettle to resist the temptation to fight back against his persecutor, and can he manage to find a way to illustrate just how devious and brutal this man is to the authorities? This is a well paced and fairly action-packed prison drama with Sutherland in quite good, menacing, form. It also benefits from a reasonable supporting cast with Sonny Landham ("Chink"), Tom Sizemore ("Dallas") and the young Larry Romano ("First Base") all delivering strongly as the warden decides to attack those close to "Frank" to push him ever closer to the edge. There's not really much jeopardy though, the narrative is pretty procedural and Stallone does enough, but no more, with the rather mundane dialogue that doesn't really add much to the simple visuals that are effective at times, but again - we have seen it all before. Stallone put so much of himself into his "Rocky" persona, unfortunately he has little left to inject into this and I found it all just a bit dull.