Movie

USA: Life in a High Security Prison

2019 · 57 min

A sober, closely observed look inside a harsh institution, offering quiet human detail rather than sensation.

Overview: In the United States, there are more than 2 million people behind bars. That's more than anywhere else in the world. The Anamosa State Penitentiary, granted us exceptional, round-the-clock access. Here, three quarters of the prisoners have been convicted of violent crimes and serve an average of 27 years. How is the prison managed?

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: bleakstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
melancholicstrength 1 of 3
earneststrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: crime
violence
power
isolation
survival
Places: prison
Era: contemporary
Audience: adult
Form: documentary
true story
Content intensity: Gore mild
Language mild
Violence mild
Sex none

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	2
Horror	3
Humour	1
Realism	10
Romance	0
Tension	5
Darkness	7
Complexity	4
Emotional weight	7

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