David Jonsson is easily one of the most talented but underappreciated actors from the current generation. Whether it’s ‘The Long Walk,’ ‘Rye Lane,’ or ‘Alien: Romulus,’ he has consistently been a highlight of any project he has been a part of. ‘Wasteman’ proves that he has even more to offer with his acting chops. Directed by Cal McMau, this prison drama stars Jonsson as a man incarcerated for over a decade. He finally gets a chance to get out of prison and make amends to his family. Yet, right before he leaves, he has to contend with his new cellmate, who puts his life at risk. That’s why the film operates as a chilling two-hander drama with Jonsson and Tom Blyth as the two leads.
Hunter Andrews and Eoin Doran’s screenplay doesn’t reinvent any prison film tropes, but it paints a well-realized portrait of two men wrestling with the weight of their haunting past. Jonsson’s character, who often seems reserved, reveals more about his life outside the prison than Blyth’s, who often hides his pain behind a stoic, machismo pretense.
McMau doesn’t hold back when showing the gore and violence inside the prison walls, but he doesn’t use it to glorify violence. Instead, the camera maps these claustrophobic spaces with a grittier perspective of vertical phone videos, adding another layer of fear of surveillance to their horrifying reality. He emphasizes this sense of realism further by using his lens as a literal transportative device that shows the world through a layer of spit or blood. It’s like no matter where they go, they can’t escape the feeling that they’re being watched.
In this case, the prison officers don’t appear as the villains, but the inmates, who try to maintain a sense of authority in the prison’s small, confined spaces. So, no one can afford to let their guard down, or they would be hounded any minute. With that guiding thought, McMau manages to distill a pure, unadulterated tension within 90 minutes despite often trading into the conventional genre beats.
Spoilers Ahead
Wasteman (2025) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What happens in Wasteman?
Taylor (David Jonsson) had been in prison for nearly 13 years. A period that long would usually mean the person would be aware of the world inside and have at least some sort of authority. Yet, Taylor’s introduction renders him powerless in front of Paul (Alex Hassell) & Gaz (Corin Silva), who act like ruthless ringleaders above the weight of law. They beat up Taylor’s cellmate while forcing him to sit aside with his numbing discomfort. After that painful incident, Taylor returns to his usual routine without a thought of anything beyond his immediate future. Years ago, he was imprisoned under the charge of manslaughter after selling drugs to a teenager and accidentally killing him.
At the time, Taylor saw it as a way to provide for his newborn son, but instead of bringing him closer to his family, it strained their relationship. Since then, he has rarely been in touch with his partner, let alone their son. So, he doesn’t know what to make of the recent development in the prison system that would allow him to get out earlier than expected. It means he needs to picture what the future would look like for him beyond the walls. That’s why he calls his partner to speak with their son, but she doesn’t let that happen, given his miserable state the last time they met. Soon enough, he gets another surprise with Dee (Tom Blyth) stepping in as his new cellmate. They don’t hit it off right away and keep their distance.
Shortly after, Dee starts selling drugs, which puts him on Paul and Gaz’s radar, who controlled the trade before his arrival. It also puts Taylor’s life at risk, given his unspoken allegiance to Paul and Gaz.
How does Dee affect Taylor’s life?
Dee doesn’t consider Taylor a friend right off the bat, but they warm up to each other’s presence soon enough. During this time, Dee helps Taylor speak with his son over a phone call and eventually gifts him a pair of shoes on Taylor’s behalf. In exchange, he starts expecting favors from Taylor. One of them involves hiding some things in their cell. Dee believes the prison officers are not too careful when they walk into the cell to look for anything suspicious. However, they prove him wrong by finding a drug pill. Dee intimidates them just enough to make them leave without getting charged for it. Yet, it affects their friendship because the pill belonged to Taylor, not him.
Since then, Taylor also needs to worry about Dee’s temperament. Unlike Paul or Gaz, he shares some of his darkest memories with Dee. So, he also risks his vulnerability being used against him. That’s exactly what happens after an incident that puts his contrasting allegiances to the test. One day, Paul and Gaz storm into their cell and start beating Dee to get hold of his stash. Taylor gets so scared that he doesn’t help Dee get out of this mess. He just sits by the door, shell-shocked. Soon, he reveals where the stash is hidden to get himself out of trouble. Still, it doesn’t change what the two did to Dee, who gets hospitalized to recover from those wounds, or that he didn’t help Dee during that fight.
After returning to the cell, Dee makes it his life’s mission to seek revenge against Paul and Gaz. He doesn’t offer Taylor any sympathy either. Instead, he forces Taylor to help him seek revenge against the duo. He expects Taylor to steal a knife during his duty as a prison cook. Taylor reluctantly agrees and brings it back to their cell, hoping it will get him out of trouble, but it doesn’t end there. Dee expects him to use that knife to kill Paul and Guz.
Wasteman (2025) Movie Ending Explained:
Does Taylor get an early release from prison as intended?
Taylor doesn’t want to hurt Paul and Gaz because it can sabotage his way out of prison. He was told to be on his best behavior during this time. So, a violent murder is the farthest thing from what’s on his mind. At the time, he is only a few days away from meeting his 14-year-old son and finding a new life for himself, but Dee jeopardizes those chances with his threat. Taylor isn’t worried exactly about his last days in prison. He is more concerned about his and his family’s lives after he steps into the outside world. Dee also knows where Taylor’s son lives. So, he threatens to hurt the kid if Taylor doesn’t act as he is told.
On the fateful day, Taylor cooks a meal for Dee before meeting Paul and Gaz and doing the deed. Dee eats the meal, not knowing that Taylor spiked it with drugs. As it happens, Taylor walks into Paul’s cell to give him and Gaz haircuts. He tries to hide his mounting fear, but Paul sees through him and wonders why he is so fidgety. Suddenly, he walks out, struggling to breathe, panicking over what he has done. Yet, by the time he returns to his cell, Dee suffers from a drug overdose. They start fighting, but soon enough, Dee struggles to get back on his feet.
Dee assumes his death would put Taylor’s life at risk, but that doesn’t happen because Taylor planned it, knowing it wouldn’t backfire on him. After sharing a joint with Dee, he carries him to the bed, which makes it seem like a typical case of overdose. The ending implies that he isn’t accused of Dee’s murder. Eventually, he leaves the prison, but as soon as the gate for the outside world opens for him, a prisoner records him leaving. It’s not clear who films him in that moment. Maybe it’s one of Paul or Gaz’s cronies, or maybe one of Dee’s associates, who’s trying to seek revenge against Taylor. Yet, no matter who the person is, it implies that Taylor may still need to fight another battle outside.
