Watched this at the Cinema months back and hadn't seen it since, so I decided to buy it the other day on DVD. A brilliant film, not entirely original but a fresh take on a done subject. 'Offender' stands comparison against the great British films of today, such as 'Kidulthood', 'Adulthood', 'Harry Brown', 'Ill Manors' and so on. After a blistering opening sequence, the film continues to impress with its bleak vision of prison life. Joe Cole stars as Tommy, the good young lad who thrown into hell when his girlfriend is assaulted. He's out for revenge. Need I say more. With his moody baby face and mental transformation, Joe Cole is sensational as Tommy. You can feel his pain and anguish and you want nothing more than for him to get his revenge. The other performances are good too. English Frank is both laughable and menacing. The soundtrack is superb at times, the settings feel genuine and the violence is swift. While this isn't cheery stuff, it's sure to impress and entertain certain viewers. Cole really delivers and I hope he goes far after this. ****/*****
