Incarcerated young people enter the famed Miami-Dade County Corrections & Rehabilitation Boot Camp Program in search of a second chance: the opportunity to trade an extensive prison sentence for a fresh start. In this harsh, 16-week camp, drill instructors push inmates to their limit, but those who complete it can become constructive members of society who are substantially less likely to return to prison. The program reports a recidivism rate under 15%, while the national rate of prison recidivism is approximately 70%.
Inspired by Dwayne Johnson’s own experiences with the law as a youth, Rock and a Hard Place is a passion project for Johnson, who calls it one of the most important films he’s been associated with. The documentary follows the inmates through each phase of the camp, beginning with the brutal first weeks, which are marked by constant verbal confrontation, physical training and strict military-style discipline. As the weeks go by, cadets attend anger-management classes, learn vocational skills and are surprised by “protocol tests” that measure their progress and patience.
Johnson executive produces along with Dany Garcia, his producing partner and co-founder of Seven Bucks Productions, and Rasha Drachkovitch of 44 Blue Productions, the Emmy-nominated executive producer behind Lockup, the longest-running prison series. Oscar nominees and multiple Emmy winners Matthew O’Neill and Jon Alpert produce and direct.
Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia are executive producers for Seven Bucks Productions; Rasha Drachkovitch is executive producer for 44 Blue Productions; Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill produce and direct. For HBO: supervising producer, Jacqueline Glover; executive producer, Sheila Nevins
Premieres March 27th, 2017 @ 10PM. Sign up or get HBO Add ons from GreenDot Today!
