Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (1991) watch online HD

This is a film about (as you'll have guessed from the title), women serving time in prison. This is not an exploitation film but tries to deal with serious social issues in a non-exploitative way, with mixed results. I guess the problem is that the movie is split into three short films by different writers and directors, so you inevitably get rushed conclusions that seem underwhelming or involve clichés. You don't get a real sense of character, as narrative is emphasised heavily.

To summarise the three short films, the first is based around Rachel Ticotin who is serving a long sentence for drug trafficking. She has to deal with having a son on the outside being raised by her sister (played by a young Talisa Soto) and her dealer boyfriend leaving her.

The second film has Annabella Sciorra and Rae Dawn Chong playing new inmates in prison, one has a child on the outside one comes to jail pregnant. This included a standard women in prison movie strip search and shower scene when the new prisoners arrive. Though there isn't much nudity except for a few bare bums in the shower.

The third short film has Lolita Davidovich as a woman who murdered her husband and is about to be released on parole but has a teenage daughter in an abusive relationship. All said, the three films try to be compelling but they're didn't succeed. Most of the characters had no identity except for the social problems they had. And perhaps that's the reason for the failure.

I saw this when I was about 13, and taped it, because the story Rae Dawn Ching starred in was really hilarious! She plays this bad-ass party girl who breaks into a house with her friend, and shoots the owner (not fatally) in a state of panic. The two pals-in-crime get sentenced to five years, and have to deal with the trials of prison life. I think RDC's character also has a newborn baby, so she's really freaked out being separated from the baby (obviously). The thing is, all their conversations are so rife in crazy, unforgettable ghetto slogans! There's an awesome "queen bee" of the prison, who's REALLY big and tough, and immediately starts taunting them and prying about what their story is. I don't think humor was the intention at all,but the script and characters were very campy. Lots of cat fights/fightin' words, cigarettes, and over-the-top acting. The other two stories in the trilogy were completely forgettable.

I just love this movie. I feel the emotions of the characters. It got alittle cheesy at times, but it's a good movie when you are feeling sad and low. It's not exactly a pick me up movie. This movie should be on Lifetime Television.

"Prison Stories: Women on the Inside" is a trio of short subjects each having to do with women in prison issues. None of the three stand-alone shorts seem particularly authentic and, of course, with only about 30 minutes each there's little story depth in any of them. Frankly, I have no clue why this film was made as it isn't particularly good entertainment, doesn't have any real purpose or message, and seems like just so much of the same old stuff we've all seen before. (C)