Reel Review: Henry Johnson

Henry Johnson is all talk—and that’s not a bad thing. It’s a tight, stripped-down chamber piece about power, manipulation, and how fast someone’s principles can fold under pressure. Evan Jonigkeit plays the title role of a quiet, idealistic lawyer who finds himself behind bars and out of his depth. Shia LaBeouf plays Gene—the inmate who clocks him instantly and decides to start digging.

This isn’t a Prison Break movie. There are no riots or chases. It’s just men in rooms, talking—and every line is a jab. LaBeouf owns the film. He’s calm, deliberate, and dangerous in the way someone is when they’ve already accepted who they are. Jonigkeit gives a more reserved performance, which works but leaves him in LaBeouf’s shadow.

The writing is sharp—fast, clipped, and never casual. Every sentence is strategy. Every pause is loaded. The structure is minimal: four scenes, four rooms, and no score. It’s a play. And it knows it.

That’s both its strength and its ceiling. If you’re locked in, it’s riveting. If not, it’ll feel like stalling. But the tension builds. And when it cracks—when the mask slips—it lands.

Mitten’s Verdict: Henry Johnson doesn’t try to entertain. It corners you, tests your patience, then punches when you least expect it. Talk-heavy, performance-driven, and cold as steel. Rated: 6 out of 10.