Shocking prison abuses exposed in powerful Netflix film | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

When a film crew was granted access for a curated visit to film an annual volunteer-run religious revival and barbecue at an Alabama prison in 2019, they didn’t realise it would be the start of a six-year investigation. It was during this seemingly positive, supervised visit that inmates secretly spoke to the filmmakers, whispering about the horrific conditions and urging them to do something about the brutal abuses that were not being shown to the public.

The documentary The Alabama Solution was one of the results of the investigation, which captured the atrocious living conditions behind closed doors and the sadistic nature of some of the prison guards who used convicts as their own personal punching bags. Not only were the prisoners kicked, punched, and slammed into concrete floors, but they were also beaten profusely with batons. These actions resulted in body bags being taken out of Alabama prisons’ back doors and cover-ups being implemented.

Many jails around the world severely restrict access to premises that incarcerate people, citing security and safety reasons as the justification behind this decision. But, as this documentary shows, the public can’t react and demand solutions to problems that they aren’t even aware of, which is why media coverage is vital.

In the documentary, long-incarcerated activist Melvin Ray poses the question: “How can a journalist go into a warzone but can’t go into a prison in the United States of America?”

Mail to and from correctional facilities is understandably handled in a rigorous manner, and phone calls are heavily monitored. These measures make it extremely challenging for people incarcerated to shine a light on what happens behind fortified walls, but contraband mobile phones have provided a lifeline for prisoners wanting to document human rights violations.

Thanks to the efforts of brave convicts such as those involved in the Free Alabama Movement, smuggled video and audio recordings exposing brutality and corruption have come to light. The documentary interviewed prisoner leaders like Robert Earl Council and Melvin Ray, who took no issue with the fact that they were incarcerated for their crimes but expressed bewilderment at what they had witnessed.

The documentary focuses heavily on the 2019 murder of inmate Steven Davis, who was beaten to death by guards and left with horrific injuries, which were secretly documented by relatives. It chronicles the painful and frustrating journey of Davis’s mother, Sandy Ray, as she fights a system that tries to cover up her son’s death.

Directed by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman, the film is confronting but necessary. It premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it drew acclaim for its six-year look inside Alabama’s notorious prison system and the light it shone on the injustices.

One critic called it “the most important, well-made documentary you will likely watch this year” on film site IMDb where it has a score of 8.1/10.

The critic added: “This is not an easy watch, as several authentic, unredacted documents and images depicting powerful beatings and disgusting living conditions abound.

“Still, it’s a necessary watch for anyone hoping to garner a better understanding of such institutions and just how far short of the mark our well-intentioned (if ignorant) leaders fall, even with an ostensibly moral mandate and billions of dollars at their disposal.”

The Alabama Solution is now available to watch on Netflix.