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Jailbait (film)
Encyclopedia
Jailbait is a 2004 psychodrama
film written and directed by Brett C. Leonard. It stars Stephen Adly Guirgis
and Michael Pitt
and is set in an unnamed prison
in California
. The film received numerous independent film
nominations and was awarded the Lake Placid Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize.
; the damages exceeded $5000 and therefore the vandalism was considered a felony
. As he had already been convicted twice for felony possession of marijuana, this was Randy's third felony and he was sentenced under the California Three Strikes Law
. Jake explains to the younger prisoner that 25 years will come to an end and that Randy, unlike himself, will be a free man again someday.
The next morning, Jake begins telling Randy a story about the worst sexual encounter he ever had. The tale involved a sexual romp with an extremely overweight and hirsute black woman. The story terrifies Randy, who begins to realize that Jake's motive may be more than just friendship. The conversation turns toward how Jake feels homosexuality
is a state of mind and that a "fag
" is not identified by what he does, but by what he thinks of while doing it. The breakfast bell rings and the story is interrupted, much to Randy's relief. Jake seems to drop the topic and return to his more friendly demeanor. However, Randy is quickly brought back to the horrible reality of his situation when Jake forces him to wear his shirt in a feminine style and to hold his hand as they go to lunch (See prison sexuality
).
Some time later, Randy's mother (Laila Robins
) visits him at the prison. Randy lies to her and says his cell mate and he are getting along well. Although they seem to enjoy the visit, it ends quickly. The brief visit only highlights Randy's isolation, as his mother is powerless to do anything to help him.
Upon returning to his cell, Randy starts writing his mother a letter. Jake tells him that his mother will give up on him and eventually stop visiting because she is so disappointed in Randy. When Randy protests, Jake tries to explain that he is just trying to make it easier for him when she abandons him. Jake then admits that he no longer writes to his mother because she doesn't write back any more.
Back in the cell, Randy tells Jake that he likes the way Jake forces himself on him. Although the idea had been hinted at for some time, this is first open revelation in the film that Jake has made Randy his sexual property. Jake is visibly flustered and intrigued by Randy's admission. However, Jake recovers quickly and viciously beats Randy. Jake chastises the younger man for "playing games" and for trying to make him feel like a "fag."
Moments later, Jake again prods the now bruised and bloody Randy to tell him about his "worst fuck." Randy tells Jake about his first sexual experience: he was 17 and drunk in a Tijuana
strip club, and paid a stripper $35 for oral sex
in a room above the dance floor. Afterwards, he saw the same stripper perform a striptease in which she revealed that she was a pre-operational transsexual. Randy then tells Jake that he "thought that was the worst it was ever going to get," insinuating that his current situation as Jake's sex slave is far worse. Jake appears angry and offended, but then seems guilt ridden. Again, Jake snaps out of his more tender feelings and, replacing them with cruelty, forces Randy to perform oral sex on him. Afterward, Jake makes pleasant conversation as Randy lies in the fetal position
in his bunk.
That night, as Jake sleeps, Randy creeps silently to his cellmate's bedside, preparing to stab him in the throat with a pencil as the older man sleeps. Randy hesitates and Jake wakes up. Jake doesn't attempt to physically restrain Randy, but instead tells him that he doesn't have the heart to kill a man in cold blood, and that even if he did he wouldn't kill him. Jake tells Randy that he is all that Randy has, that he is his protection, alluding perhaps to an even more brutal sexual slavery among other inmates were he not tied down to Jake. He sincerely tells Randy that he is his only friend. Jake then tells Randy to go back to his bed and think about all the things he will do when he is finally released.
Jake then tells the now nearly tearful Randy why his mother stopped writing back; she had died and no one told him. The prison authorities had refused to let him go to his mother's funeral. Jake then tells Randy to make sure that he gets to see his mother's funeral, that it is very important to be able to say goodbye. The viewer is left wondering if this is just another manipulative plot by Jake to prevent Randy from making trouble, or rather, sincere advice to ride out his sentence so he can experience the truly important parts of life after his release.
Psychodrama
Psychodrama is a method of psychotherapy in which clients utilize spontaneous dramatization, role playing and dramatic self-presentation to investigate and gain insight into their lives. Developed by Jacob L. Moreno, M.D. psychodrama includes elements of theater, often conducted on a stage where...
film written and directed by Brett C. Leonard. It stars Stephen Adly Guirgis
Stephen Adly Guirgis
Stephen Adly Guirgis is an American playwright, screenwriter, director, and actor. He is a member and co-artistic director of New York City's LAByrinth Theater Company. His plays have been produced on five continents and throughout the United States....
and Michael Pitt
Michael Pitt
Michael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and musician. Pitt is best known in film for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, and in television for his portrayal of James "Jimmy" Darmody in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.-Personal life:Pitt was born in West Orange, New Jersey, the...
and is set in an unnamed prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The film received numerous independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
nominations and was awarded the Lake Placid Film Festival
Lake Placid Film Festival
The Lake Placid Film Festival is an annual Film Festival held in Lake Placid, New York. The Festival, previously known as the Lake Placid Film Forum, has played host to famous film personalities such as directors Paul Schrader and Martin Scorsese...
Grand Jury Prize.
Plot
Randy (Pitt), a 20-year-old convict, is taken to his cell on his first day in prison. He is greeted by his new cellmate, Jake (Guirgis), a veteran prisoner serving a life sentence for murdering his unfaithful wife. Randy explains that he is serving 25 years for spray painting his neighbor's Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
; the damages exceeded $5000 and therefore the vandalism was considered a felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
. As he had already been convicted twice for felony possession of marijuana, this was Randy's third felony and he was sentenced under the California Three Strikes Law
Three strikes law
Three strikes laws)"are statutes enacted by state governments in the United States which require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. These statutes became...
. Jake explains to the younger prisoner that 25 years will come to an end and that Randy, unlike himself, will be a free man again someday.
The next morning, Jake begins telling Randy a story about the worst sexual encounter he ever had. The tale involved a sexual romp with an extremely overweight and hirsute black woman. The story terrifies Randy, who begins to realize that Jake's motive may be more than just friendship. The conversation turns toward how Jake feels homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
is a state of mind and that a "fag
Fag
Fag may refer to:* Fag, a colloquialism for cigarette* Fag, a junior boy who acts or acted as servant to a senior boy at a British independent school* Fag, or faggot , an American English slur for a homosexual or effeminate man....
" is not identified by what he does, but by what he thinks of while doing it. The breakfast bell rings and the story is interrupted, much to Randy's relief. Jake seems to drop the topic and return to his more friendly demeanor. However, Randy is quickly brought back to the horrible reality of his situation when Jake forces him to wear his shirt in a feminine style and to hold his hand as they go to lunch (See prison sexuality
Prison sexuality
Prison sexuality deals with sexual relationships between confined individuals or those between a prisoner and a prison employee . Since prisons are separated by gender, most sexual activity is conducted with a same-sex partner, often in contradiction to a person's normal social sexual orientation...
).
Some time later, Randy's mother (Laila Robins
Laila Robins
-Personal life:Robins was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the daughter of Latvian American parents Brigita and Janis Robins, who was a research chemist. She attended the Yale School of Drama, and received her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, . Robins has been in a...
) visits him at the prison. Randy lies to her and says his cell mate and he are getting along well. Although they seem to enjoy the visit, it ends quickly. The brief visit only highlights Randy's isolation, as his mother is powerless to do anything to help him.
Upon returning to his cell, Randy starts writing his mother a letter. Jake tells him that his mother will give up on him and eventually stop visiting because she is so disappointed in Randy. When Randy protests, Jake tries to explain that he is just trying to make it easier for him when she abandons him. Jake then admits that he no longer writes to his mother because she doesn't write back any more.
Back in the cell, Randy tells Jake that he likes the way Jake forces himself on him. Although the idea had been hinted at for some time, this is first open revelation in the film that Jake has made Randy his sexual property. Jake is visibly flustered and intrigued by Randy's admission. However, Jake recovers quickly and viciously beats Randy. Jake chastises the younger man for "playing games" and for trying to make him feel like a "fag."
Moments later, Jake again prods the now bruised and bloody Randy to tell him about his "worst fuck." Randy tells Jake about his first sexual experience: he was 17 and drunk in a Tijuana
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
strip club, and paid a stripper $35 for oral sex
Oral sex
Oral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a sex partner by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Anilingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
in a room above the dance floor. Afterwards, he saw the same stripper perform a striptease in which she revealed that she was a pre-operational transsexual. Randy then tells Jake that he "thought that was the worst it was ever going to get," insinuating that his current situation as Jake's sex slave is far worse. Jake appears angry and offended, but then seems guilt ridden. Again, Jake snaps out of his more tender feelings and, replacing them with cruelty, forces Randy to perform oral sex on him. Afterward, Jake makes pleasant conversation as Randy lies in the fetal position
Fetal position
Fetal position is a medical term used to describe the positioning of the body of a prenatal fetus as it develops...
in his bunk.
That night, as Jake sleeps, Randy creeps silently to his cellmate's bedside, preparing to stab him in the throat with a pencil as the older man sleeps. Randy hesitates and Jake wakes up. Jake doesn't attempt to physically restrain Randy, but instead tells him that he doesn't have the heart to kill a man in cold blood, and that even if he did he wouldn't kill him. Jake tells Randy that he is all that Randy has, that he is his protection, alluding perhaps to an even more brutal sexual slavery among other inmates were he not tied down to Jake. He sincerely tells Randy that he is his only friend. Jake then tells Randy to go back to his bed and think about all the things he will do when he is finally released.
Jake then tells the now nearly tearful Randy why his mother stopped writing back; she had died and no one told him. The prison authorities had refused to let him go to his mother's funeral. Jake then tells Randy to make sure that he gets to see his mother's funeral, that it is very important to be able to say goodbye. The viewer is left wondering if this is just another manipulative plot by Jake to prevent Randy from making trouble, or rather, sincere advice to ride out his sentence so he can experience the truly important parts of life after his release.
See also
- Prison SexualityPrison sexualityPrison sexuality deals with sexual relationships between confined individuals or those between a prisoner and a prison employee . Since prisons are separated by gender, most sexual activity is conducted with a same-sex partner, often in contradiction to a person's normal social sexual orientation...
- Three Strikes LawThree strikes lawThree strikes laws)"are statutes enacted by state governments in the United States which require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. These statutes became...
- Mandatory SentencingMandatory sentencingA mandatory sentence is a court decision setting where judicial discretion is limited by law. Typically, people convicted of certain crimes must be punished with at least a minimum number of years in prison...
- Michael PittMichael PittMichael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and musician. Pitt is best known in film for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, and in television for his portrayal of James "Jimmy" Darmody in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.-Personal life:Pitt was born in West Orange, New Jersey, the...