Some might think G’s don’t cry or are looked at as a bitch for crying. That’s not true, real men cry and this movie made me cry so many tears at the end of it. Because knowing close friends that I considered close family have gone through this and lived it. They got caught up in the system. This film is brilliant. We all have seen many gang movies as well as prison movies. This one rolls it all into one artfully. First off your lead character (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) goes through an entire transformation not just on film for his specific role but even by testing his acting abilities and ranges. He goes through such a drastic change you become soaked into the realism to the reality of folks that go through this end up just like him. Even if you never seen this lifestyle yourself first hand you feel vastly knowledgeable through the film of what life is like on the inside. Several former gang and prison movie icons/stars reprise their roles as slightly different influences to this movie. For instance one of the cops is played by Benjamin Bratt who was a co-star in the classic prison movie “Blood in Blood out” then along side these roles are actors like Evan Jones who played “cheddar bob” in the movie 8 mile and was seen as not very serious in that film. He is introduced in this movie as no joke and a person of importance. Also familiar faces like Jon Bernthal that have played other similar roles to support his demeanor in this film. If you ever have been apart of a Biker or actual gang or even a tight group of friends that swear on certain oaths you can relate. Gangs have rules, order and brotherhood to everyone associated with your crew. The entire film is based around the fact that inside the prison the only rules are the ones the inmates make. Those inmates serving part of their life or all of their life in there so it makes they control the politics. You keep grown men locked away long enough you turn them into survivor beast animals numb to feelings or remorse living only by the code of who is the King of the hill. Once the King of the Hill is established he reigns as shot caller for either where is area is or if the highest he calls all the shots even if he gets sentenced to many extra years in small confined solitary areas. You can only punish an human so much to the point where they don’t care anymore. You can only threaten them with so much. Next they get smart, they form gangs and brotherhoods to take control of with little life they have in there. Make sure you are aware that the smallest of luxuries like a book or place to sit become guarded like wild hungry creatures. They swear by the same Italian code of omerta which means that one thing is for sure… Regardless of the standard rules it’s the universal rule to any gang that NO ONE snitch’s. If you do you are marked until you are dead. Or green light’d is what they call it on the inside. The film covers all of the real lingo and weapons built and made in prisons. Shows the money system as well as the methods used to disguise contraband. However not just how it’s moved around illegally but also extended scenes to see just what an inmate has to do to move drugs or weapons around. Also has a brief facts on what prison tattoos mean as well as how it stamps and brands the individual. It shows the hierarchy of the prison system and even how far it stretches into some control over the guards. Because after all, some of these inmates could kill a guard with their bare hands without any weapons needed. This story is a new twist, it’s got your gansgter and prison scenes sure yes but it also has an entire story that is right in front of you the whole time giving the answers but doesn’t come clear to your dome unless you have lived this to some degree or someone close to you has or you watched the entire film. It really brings the dark culture of what it means to represent you are apart of gang and what’s more daring is it covers a lot more of the Aryan Brotherhood which consists of all whites that oppose any other race that isn’t pure white. Which most movies only give you smaller snibbets of those types of gangs. Usually in film as they are seen as some of the worst most hateful prison gangs that live in a prehistoric hate world. Even in American history X you see how Norton once racist all of a sudden wants to change his ways. This movie is a whole new twist on how you see in prison it doesn’t matter what you think or what your racial opinions are. Whatever your color is or looks like is who you “clique” up with. If you come in as a Mexican you are only accepted around the Mexicans and so on. If you want to communicate to other gangs it must be approved by the higher in commands. Same goes for biker gangs, street gangs and even military gangs ..also on over to Militias. Check this movie out and if you know anyone drinking and driving as it shows the message very clear Have them check this movie out because they might think twice always thinking they can get away with a few drinks which then quickly risks their whole life. Every action as a consequence.