They were chasing justice. They found the truth instead
The Escape of Prisoner 614 (2018) is a light-hearted, offbeat Western-comedy that takes the buddy cop formula, strips away the competence, and adds a hefty dose of small-town absurdity. Directed by Zach Golden, the film stars Ron Perlman, Martin Starr, and Jake McDorman in a quirky tale about loyalty, law enforcement... and getting almost everything wrong.
Set in the 1960s in rural upstate New York, the story follows two dim-witted, recently fired sheriff’s deputies—Thurman Hayford (Starr) and Jim Doyle (McDorman). After being let go for their poor performance, the pair stumbles upon news of an escaped prisoner—number 614—and sees it as their shot at redemption. Hoping to win their jobs back (and maybe a little glory), they head off into the woods on a manhunt.
The prisoner they find, however, is not the violent fugitive they expected. Andre, played with quiet dignity by George Sample III, turns out to be a wrongly convicted Black man who’s far more thoughtful than his pursuers. As the mismatched trio journeys through forests, rivers, and a series of misadventures, the deputies slowly realize that the justice system they’ve sworn to uphold might not be as righteous—or as colorblind—as they believed.
While the comedy leans on slapstick and deadpan awkwardness, the film is not without conscience. Beneath the rustic charm and goofy dialogue lies a quiet critique of systemic racism and blind loyalty to authority. Ron Perlman’s Sheriff Hensley adds a gruff, no-nonsense presence, playing the old-school lawman whose version of justice is more about control than fairness.
With a modest budget, stripped-down production design, and a leisurely pace, The Escape of Prisoner 614 won’t blow your boots off—but it will leave a smirk on your face and a small knot in your gut. It’s a Western where the guns barely fire, but the truth still hits hard.
