Shot Caller

Shot Caller is a 2017 American crime thriller film written and directed by Ric Roman Waugh. The film chronicles the transformation of a well-to-do family man, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, into a hardened prison gangster, which he undergoes to survive California's penal system after he is incarcerated for his role in a deadly DUI car accident. The film also stars Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell, Jon Bernthal, Emory Cohen, Jeffrey Donovan, Evan Jones, Benjamin Bratt, and Holt McCallany. It premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 16, 2017. The film was released on July 20, 2017, through DirecTV Cinema and theatrically on August 18, 2017, by Saban Films. Plot Jacob Harlon is a successful stockbroker living with his wife, Katherine, and son Joshua, in California. One night, he drives his wife and friends home under the influence and causes a collision which kills one of his friends. After taking a plea deal, Jacob is sentenced to 16 months at the California Institution for Men in Chino. On his first night inside, Harlon overhears the gang rape of a fellow inmate and decides his only chance at survival is to go on the offensive. The next day, he stands his ground and attacks an African-American inmate when provoked. This draws the attention of Bottles, the "shot caller" for the white supremacist gang PENI, who recruits Harlon into the gang, offering protection. Over time, Harlon rises in rank, obtains the alias "Money", and grows even more hardened by prison life. During a riot, he stabs another inmate to save the life of the head of the Sureños, earning him respect from other gang leaders, but is caught on camera and sentenced to nine years (to run concurrently to his original sentence). Harlon then ceases all contact with his family, demanding that they move on and forget him. Harlon is eventually transferred to Corcoran State Prison where he is introduced to "The Beast", the leader of the Aryan Brotherhood there. Impressed with Harlon's dedication, The Beast promotes him to his second-in-command.