Jack O'Connell's sensational performance in Danny Boyle's Ink should finally make him a megastar, according to senior film critic Tori Brazier at the Venice Film Festival. The film, which premiered on September 2, 2026, showcases O'Connell as Larry Lamb, the ruthless editor of The Sun tabloid, in a role that blends quieter brilliance with raw power.
A Career-Defining Turn
O'Connell, who previously stole scenes as the charismatic vampire Remmick in Sinners and chilled audiences as sadistic cult leader Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal in 28 Years Later and its sequel The Bone Temple, now plays a more human and grounded character. As Lamb, installed at the ailing outlet by tycoon Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) in 1969, he embodies the underdog versus establishment story with complexity and likability.
The film, adapted by James Graham from his acclaimed West End play, presents a gripping and irreverently bold take on the Fleet Street revolution. Boyle leans into theatricality with stylised choices, such as showing O'Connell and Pearce's faces purely in dotted newsprint, and uses pacey flash-forwards, dramatic slow-motion pans, and scenes of journalists assembling on a giant sofa to watch TV together.
Building The Sun's Identity
The narrative dives into Lamb's decision to work for Murdoch as a fellow outsider—his Northern, working-class man to Murdoch's Australian. 'As long as it's not The Sun,' says Lamb, a wry nod to its divisive reputation. Murdoch insists it's 'class-driven bulls**t' when Lamb responds: 'You want me to bring The Sun downmarket?' A cheeky Jaguar convertible helps get Lamb onboard, but persuading other journalists proves an uphill battle, including a veteran sports editor and Lamb's girlfriend Jules (Claire Foy), a newly-written amalgam character representing various female journalists of the era.
Lamb even hires photographer Beverley Goodway (Angus Imrie) from working at a morgue after he was fired from the sports beat by The Times for missing crucial goals. Goodway would go on to snap the publication's famous Page 3 glamour models, which Lamb introduced, including Stephanie Rahn, the first to pose topless.
Relentless Pace and Dark Turn
The film's pace is relentless, helped by frantic editing from Fin Oates, as Murdoch places a three-week deadline on Lamb to get the paper running. Lamb's old boss from The Mirror, Hugh Cudlipp (Bertie Carvel, who played Murdoch in the stage production), criticises him at every turn. A standout scene sees Lamb and the team building The Sun's identity from the ground up, using their interests in TV, women, sex, 'mindless violence' (or boxing), and the weather. Horoscopes make the cut, with Lamb commenting: 'Rupert is a Pisces and superstitious – give him reason to be optimistic.'
The film revels in booze-fuelled Christmas party excesses before delving into darkness when a real-life kidnapping and murder forces Lamb to reckon with how far he'll go for a front page splash. O'Connell makes a complex, sometimes unpleasant man likable, while Pearce's Murdoch appears more human than ever before. Foy is sharp and watchable, though her role feels slightly underwritten and generic.
Verdict and Release
Boyle, O'Connell, and company make a splash with Ink, presenting a remarkable story with gusto and audacity. The film releases in UK cinemas on January 8, 2027, and in select US cinemas on December 11, 2026, before streaming on US Netflix on January 8. With a run time of 1 hour 56 minutes, Ink is a film that can't be ignored.
