Starred Up is a 2013 British prison crime drama film directed by David Mackenzie and written by Jonathan Asser. The film stars Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, and Rupert Friend. The film is based on Jonathan Asser's experiences working as a voluntary therapist at HM Prison Wandsworth, with some of the country’s most violent criminals. The title is a term used to describe the early transfer of a criminal from a Young Offender Institution to an adult prison.