Sometimes I question what language English people speak. Starred Up, an invigorating prison drama starring Unbroken’s Jack O’Connell, is pretty good--as long as you can understand what the hell people are saying.

Best watched with subtitles, Starred Up is about a troubled and incredibly violent teenager named Eric who is put in an adult prison. His father (Ben Mendelsohn), who is also a guest of the prison, recognizes that his son needs help and sets out to administer it, whether it’s through tough love or with the aid of a prison psychologist (Rupert Friend).

While I found O’Connell’s performance in Unbroken somewhat lacking--due more to the script than the actor himself--he breathes fire in Starred Up, where his character swings between violent insanity and thoughtful consideration and back again on a regular basis. There is very little to like about the boy, so it speaks to O’Connell’s craft that he is nonetheless able to make you rally to the character’s corner.

Mendelsohn and Friend are also terrific, albeit in less explosive roles.

The movie itself is pretty straightforward and without a lot of nuance, but it succeeds thanks to David Mackenzie’s in-your-face direction and Jonathan Asser’s fast-paced screenplay. It does take a while to get used to the thick, urban accents, and the film’s violent setting won’t appeal to everyone, but Starred Up is a rewarding experience if you give it time.

Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.