Avery (Jones) returns to college as a competitive swimmer after getting his life back on track. But his life takes another unexpected turn when he and his two friends (Bonds, Casseus) are wrongly accused of murder and end up in prison.
Acting
De'Aundre Bonds' unhinged, heartbreaking descent steals every scene.
Direction
Luessenhop's claustrophobic framing makes prison walls feel alive.
Writing
Dialogue so authentic you'll forget it's scripted.
Director
John Luessenhop
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This was John Luessenhop's feature debut; he later directed Takers (2010) with Paul Walker. The swimming pool metaphor took three different locations to shoot.
Released the same year as The Hurricane, Lockdown got buried in the 'wrongful conviction' wave—despite Bonds' performance outshining most Oscar nominees that year.
US
