'Escape at Dannemora': Six episodes in, Ben Stiller unleashes Benicio del Torro's 'madness' as Richard Matt on us

Stiller chose to unleash a completely insane side of Richard Matt not right at the beginning of the show, but almost near its finale
UPDATED DEC 25, 2018

Ever since the release of Ben Stiller's dark prison drama, 'Escape at Dannemora', a lot of buzz has been going on about how the comedic genius pretty much revolutionized the genre with a fresh take on and unique execution of the infamous 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility escape.

And most of that has been owing to the bonus ingredients Stiller incorporated in his story focusing on convicted inmates Richard Matt (Benicio del Toro) and David Sweat (Paul Dano) tunneling out of prison using tools provided by prison employee Joyce 'Tillie' Mitchell (Patricia Arquette). On one hand there is del Toro's absolutely uninhibited, sporadic madness that comes out brilliantly with impeccable timing when the scenes call for it, and on the other hand there is a true-to-life portrayal of daily life at a correctional facility, which has been somewhat sensationalized in every on-screen portrayal before Stiller's ongoing Showtime series.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

A new ‘White Lotus’ getaway may be taking shape, and if this casting rumor is true, season 4 could be its most dramatic stay yet.
14 hours ago
Kathleen Robertson and Mark Engelhardt have been cast in recurring roles for the third instalment
22 hours ago
Middle-earth is moving closer to its next chapter, and new signs suggest ‘The Rings of Power’ may return sooner than fans ever expected.
1 day ago
‘Euphoria’ footage is finally out and the first glimpse of Season 3 suggests that growing up may be far more dangerous than staying young.
1 day ago
A Reddit user recently shared a Google Earth image showing the words "Come Back" written on a pavement
2 days ago
'Pluribus' reunited Gilligan with his long-time collaborators, music supervisor Thomas Golubić and music composer Dave Porter
2 days ago
Viewers are left wondering whether 'Heated Rivalry' will follow the books closely or embrace the subtle changes hinted at by the cast.
2 days ago
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ Season 2 dropped on December 10, 2025, and Rick Riordan has already teased something incredible for Season 3
2 days ago
In the latest 'Pluribus' episode, titled 'The Gap', Rhea Seehorn's Carol grapples with her longing for human interaction
2 days ago
After years in development, ‘Skinny Dip’ lands at Prime Video with Amanda Seyfried in the lead role of Joey Perrone
2 days ago