Down Time (2001) User Reviews

Unreal reality

[crawl-1 · 3/10 · 19 March 2003]

I thought the acting in this film(except for the lead actor) was some of the worst I've seen. It reminded me of a high school drama production with a videocam. IF the scenes in jail/prison were actually shot there with real inmates, then they can be excused. This isn't a documentary; it's portrayed as fiction. I followed the exploits of the lead character with some interest. The others around him were almost cartoons. Having never been inside,I can't say the story is anywhere near accurate. It SEEMED to be accurate to those of us who have never had the misfortune of being jailed. Here's some things to ponder: in the opening the cops are banging in the door as the drug bust in going down. The partners are all together. We see the lead get busted as he comes out the door. So where could he stash 300K in that length of time where his two partners also wouldn't have known about it?

In the end when he is out,(this is, I presume, eight years later) he gets the money(so well hidden in 60 seconds eight years before that no one found it by accident in 8 years, including the police) and heads over to "his place". Keep in mind his female friend doesn't live with him anymore. So, who has a place just sitting there for eight years? He didn't pay taxes, etc. and it would be confiscated.

Rewind the shooting scene at the home and see if any of this acting adds up to an Oscar. It reminded me of the level of acting in a porn film(so did the set). So, he shoots a cop and drives nine hours unmolested to cross the U.S. Mexican border. Certainly the authorities would never put out an advisory.

Overall, it kept my interest, but I felt the effort to make it "real" made it look "unreal".

It's hell in there . . .

[documan · 2 April 2003]

Get ready to have your comfortable, cozy little spot in front of your television turned into a sweaty prison cell, because Sean Wilson's semi-autobiographical movie, Down Time, will do just that and more! This docudrama about one man's journey into the hell that is our prison system will twist your gut more than just a little as you watch the hero's descent into the depths of prison grime and despair. This film is so real you can almost smell it!

Director Sean Wilson manages to accomplish this gritty sense of realism through the uncompromising use of realistic elements - starting with an unadulterated story and followed up with real locations of the casting of many ex-cons and gang members throughout the film. Let's face it - there simply aren't a lot of directors out there who have Wilson's combination of film sense and life experience . . . maybe Polanski could have come close if he'd stuck around and done his time! While the film does not have the polished look and feel of some of it's high-budget Hollywood produced counterparts, it makes up for this lack with it's refusal to shrink-wrap the story and scenes into some easily digested product targeted for mass consumption. We all get a birds eye view of the horror, despair, and ennui that make up the daily life of the incarcerated. An added element of empathy is woven in to the story by skillful interlacing of our protagonists memories, comments, and dreams while he `plays the survival game' each day in prison. The glimpse into the daily lives and routines of the incarcerated that Down Time delivers cannot be found elsewhere . . . unless of course you are prison-bound, in which case you might still want to rent or buy this film . . . just to study up a bit. I highly recommend this film not only to those looking for entertainment, but also for those who lack an understanding of the daily lives of those society has chosen to condemn. Check it out!

Clerks goes to prison

[marcusthemac80 · 5/10 · 19 February 2004]

My Cousin kept telling me to check out this film Down Time. He thought it was great as did most of his friends. Somehow this film has taken on this cult like following. Lots of people I know have seen it and all of them have strong reactions to it, either they love it or they hate it. So, I logged on to IMDb.com to see what all the buzz was about. I reviewed all the statistics and viewers comments and then picked it up at my local independent video store.

I thought it was pretty good and yes, I can see how some people can make the comparison with the film Clerks (1994), but is that a good thing? I don't know why people hold Clerks in such high regard. There are so many better independent films. Sean Wilson's Down Time is a very low budget independent prison film that has some funny dialog and a few interesting and quirky characters. It has a unique style although a little uneven. Most of the acting is adequate and a few of the performances were quite good for such a low budget film. Overall it kept my interest throughout and I thought it was a worthy effort. I would say I am in the middle on this one. (FiveStars)

Not Bad

[fishhead7519 · 5/10 · 3 February 2008]

DOWN TIME is an ultra low budget prison film that tries real hard but doesn't quite deliver. I see a lot of these direct to DVD films and this one is not bad but is no Shawshank Redemption. However, I was surprised to see how low it was rated. It is obvious from the reviews and from the external reviews (from professional reviewers) that the film has some merit. However, it seems that for some reason a large number of people didn't like this film. (mostly non-us users) I am not sure how IMDb.COM controls it's site but these votes seem to be not reflective of the film. That being said DOWN TIME is not a great film. I gave it a rating of 5 and that was generous. It is a very low budget film with some weak acting but it kept my attention and for these direct to DVD films it is one of the better ones.

You call this a movie?

[ronald_ray_gun · 1/10 · 9 May 2003]

Absolutely the worst acting I have ever seen, camerawork the kind of which you would expect of a six year old with a camcorder and downright awful sound such as the background music which gave the impression of having been taken from the menu screen of a really bad low budget computer game and was just all over the place. Truly horrible in every way to see and hear, which, frankly, doesn't make for a good movie.

Beyond awful

[andrew-969 · 1/10 · 8 August 2005]

I don't know what scares me most, the fact that someone could put the time, money and effort into producing what is undoubtedly the worse movie I've ever seen (and that's up against some pretty stiff competition) or that numerous people here seem to actually have enjoyed it.

They say that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Patently not true, if you were someone who saw any merit whatsoever in this 'movie', trust me, your opinion would be best kept to yourself.

Horribly shot, with characters so wooden you need a joiner not a producer and dialogue that tour average four year old could better, this clichéd pile of turds should be avoided like the plague.

Apparently the director has served time himself and I'd have to say he ought to be sent straight back to the slammer for inflicting this upon us.

What a joke!!!

[darksidelingua · 1/10 · 11 May 2005]

I don't understand how the reviews on this are all good and rating the abysmal film between 8-10 stars... what a joke! Somehow I think the reviews are fake or written by people with the absolute minimal taste.

This film is unwatchable. From watching the first 30 minutes only (or maybe even less I cant recall, but I do know I could not go on any further) I know that the acting is absolutely atrocious, as was the script and the whole set up... Who in the hell distributed this mess? I have two friends who also bought the same film (it was going cheap on a street corner) and they too were unable to finish watching it. It wasn't even funny hahaha awful... just straight Awful!

No Budget Film Making

[jemmace · 10/10 · 4 August 2007]

Down Time is no Hollywood movie. It is obviously a "no budget" independent film. However, I really enjoyed this film. There are many technical problem and bad sound in places some of the acting is pretty bad but overall it kept me interested and involved and that is what a film is supposed to do. As long as you understand this was made on a shoe string budget and you watch it in that context then it is quite a remarkable little film. The soundtrack was great the lead actor has presence and the director seems to have an emerging talent. As it turns out the filmmaker is a from New Zealand and that is what got me to watch it in the first place. While he is no Peter Jackson. Down Time has some elements that can be compared to Jackson's first film BAD TASTE. I give the filmmaker credit for going out and making a film against the odds.

A downbeat view of mayhem and boredom inside prison

[maidenpowers · 7/10 · 24 March 2001]

Down Time is a story of a dude too cool for school who trips up and lands in hell on earth. It's a prison film with harsh news about the murderous violence, drug addiction and idiot boredom of an inmate's life. The movie is shocking, frightening, disgusting, at moments bleakly funny and always interesting. An ensemble of young actors provide a number of inspired characterizations.

Filmed in lo-fi black-and-white with a muscular thrash soundtrack, the look and sound of Down Time is perfect for it's gritty, downbeat storyline.

El Mariachi with out the hype

[lowdown19632000 · 8/10 · 6 February 2004]

Down time is definitely a low-budget film so don't think you are going to get some big budget Hollywood prison action film like the Rock or the ever so formulaic and forgettable Half Past Dead. No what you are going to get a inherently flawed indie film that never got the million dollar make over that films like El Mariachi and Clerks did. Both those films are classics but we would not be so familiar with if the studios did not put their muscle behind them.

Down Time has many technical problems and most of the acting is amateurish but the Dialog is great and it has lots of inside jokes for those who are familiar with the criminal justice system. I like the loose "ducu-drama" style that gives the viewer the feel of being inside a real prison. It has some very graphic drug scenes that to a trained I seem real. Over all I think this is one of the better low-budget films I have seen.

Raw and scrappy independent

[filmjunkie59 · 6/10 · 14 February 2004]

This is film that clearly shows it's budgetary limitations. It has stretches of muddy audio and some of the acting is pretty bad. Given that, I still like this movie. It has a raw scrappy feel, great dialog and some very evocative characters.

You get a tremendous sense of the tug-o-war between good and evil, raging inside the head of slim (the main character). The film starts off with a bang, and, although it lags a bit in the middle, there is enough humor and character development to carry us along. The scenes with the main convicts sitting around playing cards passing the time are funny and believable. I found myself almost laughing out loud. After that the film starts to meander a bit but pulls it together in the end and manages to deliver a anti drug message. Over all I would recommend it but know going in this is a low budget independent film.

Gritty real

[kiwi-1 · 10/10 · 9 March 2001]

Down Time is one of the most realistic prison films that I've ever seen. It shows the hidden world of the culture of incarceration. I found the film to be extremely powerful and thought provoking. I left the theater with a feeling of empathy for all those who have survived the prison experience .. A must see

"Quirky and Intriquing..." - Daily Variety

[lenser · 7/10 · 20 September 2003]

I was curious to learn what professional reviewers said after reading the mixed bag of personal raves/rants here so I looked it up in Variety, then rented the movie. Yeah, it's not fantastic but have some pizza and beer and it's entertaining. Forget the plot; the interesting stuff is in the prison scenes when the guys are sitting around talking story. Checked with an industry source and found this was made with less than half the budget of the originally released El Mariachi. Glad to see some true indies are pulling together films and getting big distributors to pick them up. Should encourage other filmmakers. Down Time ran in several indie festivals (SF Indie, No Dance, Lost Film Festival) plus a big festival in San Jose, CA called Cinequest. Obviously there is something worthwhile to it.

Some quotes from the "Daily Variety" review by Dennis Harvey. (I can't quote the entire article for copyright reasons, of course, but you can go to the Variety site and look it up yourself.)

"Loosely drawn from debuting director - scenarist Sean Wilson's own stint in the slammer, B&W indie drama `Down Time' is an interesting, albeit uneven effort...Still, it's worth a look by indie-focused fests; commercially, best chances lie in homevid."

"..Slim whiles away some years in the company of fellow abstainers from the population's rigid, race-divided power struggles. These scenes are often loose and funny, with David Burkson and David Fine particularly entertaining as two of the prison's more harmless `characters.' "

"Given that, plus some inconsistent tech qualities, `Down Time' still has enough quirky and intriguing aspects to hold attention."

Provocative and Gritty

[lazygirlfilms · 8/10 · 21 January 2004]

I found this movie provocative and gritty. sometimes it moved along a little too slow for my taste but as a viewer of many films, i was completely impressed with the story the filmmaker introduced us to and the style in which he did so. there are some very funny moments and some very disturbing moments. for a first film on a shoe string budget, this director shows much potential for great future projects. good luck!

Powerful movie

[judah-1 · 20 March 2002]

I have seen Downtime 7 times and it still holds my attention. A powerful independent film about the reality of prison life. Good camera angles, music, and some accomplished acting. I wait with interest to see another film by this director.

One mans recollection of his time in the pen

[Askmeif · 7/10 · 4 April 2003]

Some unique artfull presentations of character by the lead surrounded by some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Felt Like I was watching "Clerks" at the beginning. Pretty much an experience movie with out much direction. If you like hard criminals and edgy incarceration images, you will love this movie. Worth the watch. Not a chick flick I would say.

Realism, intriguing and creative images

[akiwinz · 10/10 · 23 March 2001]

I thought this movie gave a very keen sense of life behind bars that no other movie has ever properly depicted. The director's sense of sounds and images gave the movie such realism. Lots of appropriately funny parts and i definitely was intrigued by the protagonist's story. The music enhanced the story 10-fold. the prison scenes can be difficult to watch but that's what the story is about. I appreciated the honesty put forth and the level of dedication to tell one man's experience in the federal prison system. Some great acting too!

Now this is Indie Film Making!

[bigdan802003 · 8/10 · 30 January 2004]

I am a big fan of low budget independent filmmaking and Sean

Wilson (11) Down Time is a maverick achievement. Shot on a

shoe string budget (check the stats), this is no Hollywood action

film, but what you get is from the gut film making. Gritty

performances by WilliamVan Nolan and Sam McBride make this a

stand out film in the low budget arena. Some of the card playing

scenes reminded me of the film Clerks (1994) with lots of off the

wall snappy dialogue. You could also compare it to some the jail

scenes in Jim Jarmusch's Down by law (1986) both films have

lots of long still shots that just kind of hand there and make you

feel the oppressive boredom of prison life. Sure there are some technical problems with this film and some

of the side characters acting is weak but you have to be able to

over look that. Down Time is what independent filmmaking is all

about.

Visceral Incarceration

[marthm · 10/10 · 21 March 2003]

The payoff from a great prison film - and this definitely is one - is the sense of incarceration that envelopes the viewer. You are there, immersed in the noise, the danger, the tedium of the joint itself. In Down Time the directing, editing, and cinematography shove the prison experience down your throat in spades. The payoff is a sly narrative twist at the end which both ties the threads of the story together and gives an additional ironic kick to the viewer's identification with the film. Can't give it away here, but buy it and see for yourself! You won't forget the experience. Great sound track too!

INDIE PRISON FILM WITH A EDGE!

[motherofgod71 · 9/10 · 15 February 2004]

As a fan of independent film I really connected with Down Time. I love the raw hand held style that gives you the feeling that you are in the cell with the convicts. I felt the dialog was smart and funny. I found myself making the connection with the film Clerks. "no budget film with snappy dialog". The only problem for Down Time is that it didn't has the hype behind it. As a woman I found the female lead a disappointment. She is portrayed as the typical "big breasted bimbo", using her body to achieve her means. She is ultimately shot dead , of course. I guess that is par for the course in a prison film. Other than that and some obvious continuity problems and the low budget acting I really enjoyed it. Down Time has unique style, a gritty soundtrack and great characters. It is a smart little cutting edge film.

Made For under twenty Grand! What an achievement!

[o_dent · 10/10 · 26 October 2007]

One might wonder why I gave Down Time such a high rating. I don't give 10's out easily but this lowest of low budget movies deserves it. Any film that can be made for twenty thousand dollars and be at all watchable is an amazing achievement in the world of film making. Twenty Grand is the catering budget on most so called "Indie films" let alone a studio film. People seem to have a strong reaction to this film; they either love it or hate it. I don't think ARTISAN (the distributor) did the filmmakers any favors by slapping a "Gang Banger" cover on it in the hopes of appealing to the "Homeboy" demographic, which were clearly disappointed. I think the haters don't realize it was shot on such a ridiculously low budget, using mostly friends and relatives as the cast and crew. There have been some comparisons to "Clerks" or even Jim Jarmusch's Down by Law. I think that is a stretch but it has hints of that slow plotting Jarmusch style and funny, witty, "Clerkish" dialogue. Shot on location on Alcatraz Island and San Quentin prison gives Down Time a great look you follow the main character Slim (William Van Noland) decent through the criminal justice system. The film kept me interested from beginning to end. Couple this with some low-brow jokes about farm animals. I toughly enjoyed this film. This is director Sean Wilson's first film and it's flawed, to be sure. But in my humble opinion, given the budget, it is an amazing feat. However, if you are expecting a Hollywood action film then this is not the film for you.

slim don;t leave us hanging we want more

[wmhvn-1 · 10/10 · 23 November 2007]

if i were bravo, HBO this is the kind of move that you could easily turn into a profitable series each episode could me a mini movie. i want to know what happened to these inmates. i have never seen a jail flick where i wanted to marry one guy have sympathy for and other( poor guy with the teeth) and really to see if slim will go back in to the world and be able to asymulate or will in fall back to old patterns. where is he????????????????????????and is he married. we all like bad i mean real bad boys. i see James bond carry grant Mel Gibson. if i were Lindsey lo this would be my man, where the hell is this guy ?? We could easily see him doing Hitchcock or Shindler's list. where are you Slim.

Great Acting, Scary Movie

[TallTail · 10 February 2008]

I don't like prison movies because they're, well, dark and frightening in an uncomfortable way. This one was great, though, because the main character was presented without apology for his faults, and at the same time, in a sympathetic way. It's hard to find that in movies. Usually, it's "designated bad guy: hate him! designated good guy: love him!" so this was refreshing. The lead actor was fantastic. Someone else might not have been able to carry it off, and then the audience wouldn't really care about him. I only saw this movie because it was at the Tahoe condo where I stayed when I went skiing. I'm really glad I saw it, and I hope the Slim guy does more movies--especially if they aren't prison ones!

One of the best independent films!

[trey-56693 · 10/10 · 23 February 2022]

This independent film is one of the greats you can't beat the realistic gritty tone to downtime, there's some really hilarious scenes and some really dark ones like the heroin withdrawal scene and Johnny's suicide). The soundtrack to this film is unbelievably fitting and perfect for the atmosphere, I really this top tier prison film is way overlooked by the public and should be screened more, just so people can see this underrated classic!

The worst acting i have ever seen

[Piedreau · 3 April 2003]

I'm still flabbergasted by this movie, it totally blew me away! I have seen hundreds of movies in my short life but none as bad as this one

The story begins with a drugdeal gone bad. The following shooting is so poorly filmed that you might think it is a parody. Even the A-team had better and more convincing shootouts. After this horrible piece of acting you will see every cliche the crime movie has ever seen. The racist shouting cop, the junky prisoner and the violence in prisons. Still poorly filmed.

Words can't describe how bad this movie is...

The only purpose this film might serve is to show how good another movie is. Even the movie Freddy Got Fingered looks like a blockbuster compared to this piece of ****

What a waste of time...