Year: 2013
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Director: Jules Stewart
A music executive’s life takes a dramatic turn when he’s unexpectedly incarcerated in K-11, a dangerous and chaotic correctional facility in Los Angeles. To survive, he must confront a brutal environment where the lines between right and wrong are blurred and he’s forced to re-evaluate his identity and place in the world.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of K-11 (2013), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Saxx, D.B. Sweeney sits in an LA jail, so high on drugs that he cannot be questioned, setting a grim, disorienting tone from the start. A prison guard, Lt. Johnson, takes a troubling interest and bribes a colleague to move him to holding cell K-11, a unit known for housing LGBT inmates. There, he shares the night with Butterfly, a young transgender woman, before Butterfly is kept in the holding cell overnight. In K-11, he encounters Mousey, Jason Mewes, the self-proclaimed boss, and Detroit, Goran Visnjic, a burly presence whose presence unsettles Saxx. The cellblock is also involved in a robust cocaine trade, smuggled in by the same guard who placed Saxx in K-11, Lt. Johnson, highlighting the depth of corruption surrounding him.
When drug kingpin Ben refuses to give Johnson a bigger cut, Ben is moved into the general population, intensifying the power struggles in the prison. A riot sparked by Mousey becomes a flashpoint for further brutality, as Lt. Johnson attempts to rape Saxx. After Detroit rapes Saxx twice, Butterfly violently murders Detroit with razor blades, and the other inmates help her hide the weapons, later claiming they witnessed nothing.
Saxx is then told he is being charged with the murder of his associate, songwriter Ian Sheffield, who had an affair with Saxx’s wife. His lawyer explains that Saxx’s wife—allegedly the sole witness to Ian’s death—wants a divorce, leaving him with only $30,000 and his car. If he does not sign, she will testify that the death was murder; if he signs, she will testify that it was an accident. He signs, hoping for release, and agrees to a plan with Mousey to get back at the corrupt Lt. Johnson before he leaves: Mousey will have sex with Johnson and then file rape charges against him.
After prison officers discover Johnson’s sexual encounter with Mousey, Johnson is charged with rape and the murder of Detroit, and is placed in a cell next to Ben, who implies Johnson will face punishment from fellow inmates. To seal the deal, Saxx deposits $13,000 in Mousey’s account before being released. Once free, his only assets are $17,000 and his car, and his first priority is to dispose of the drug stash hidden in the vehicle.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:17
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Gripping tales of individuals fighting to endure within oppressive, closed-off systems.If you liked the high-stakes survival and oppressive atmosphere of K-11, explore more movies like it. This collection features intense dramas set within brutal, closed systems where characters must adapt or perish. Discover similar films where survival comes at a deep personal cost.
Stories in this thread typically follow an outsider or ordinary person thrust into a harsh, institutional setting. The narrative is a tense downward spiral as they confront violence, corruption, and power dynamics, forcing a brutal reassessment of their identity and morality in order to simply stay alive.
These films are grouped together by their shared high-intensity, claustrophobic mood, relentless pacing, and focus on the psychological and physical toll of survival. They create a consistent feeling of being trapped in a dangerous world with no easy way out.
Protagonists are violently plunged into a shadow society that forces a brutal identity crisis.For viewers who enjoyed K-11's story of a man's abrupt incarceration and transformation, this list offers similar movies. Discover films where protagonists are thrust into dangerous underworlds, facing corruption and violence that challenge their very identity. Find more stories about brutal awakenings and survival.
The narrative pattern involves a sharp, often unjust, inciting event that catapults a protagonist from their normal life into a hidden, brutal society. The plot is a rapid-fire series of trials that strip away their former identity, forcing them to adopt new, often ruthless, survival tactics, leaving them permanently scarred.
These films share a similar emotional arc: a swift fall from grace, a consistently dark and cynical tone, and a focus on the psychological cost of adapting to a brutal new environment. The pacing is fast, mirroring the character's disorienting plunge, and the endings are often bittersweet, reflecting irreversible change.
Don't stop at just watching — explore K-11 in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what K-11 is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Track the full timeline of K-11 with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape K-11. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
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