A Prophet (B or 3/4 stars)
In the mood for a long, gritty, violent prison drama that happens to be a foreign film? Well then I recommend France's Oscar-nominated 'A Prophet', directed by Jacques Audiard. This film, set within prison walls, tells the story of 19 yr. old Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim), who is corrupted by the criminal world, & then eventually rises to power as a mafia kingpin. But while he's not a 'hero' in the conventional sense, he is our protagonist, & an exceptional one, at that. As the film begins, Malik (a Frenchman of N. African descent - but estranged from his Muslim community) is entering prison to serve a 6 yr. sentence for attacking an officer (though he claims innocence). We do not hear specifics on the attack. And we find out that he has no friends or family. That's it.
Fragile, & content to keep to himself, he becomes easy prey to the Corsican gang in the prison. Since there are lots of Arabs present, one would think Malik would be safe with them. However, he is first approached by those Corsicans, where fearful leader Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup) makes Malik an offer: if he can kill a fellow Arab (Hichem Yacoubi) who is testifying in court against the Corsicans, then he will be pardoned by the them. But if Malik won't kill him, HE will be the dead man. With no choice in the matter, Malik painstakingly prepares for his 1st kill; a kill that will put him right in the middle of a prison power struggle. Haunted by visions of the 1st man he killed, but determined to impress Cesar, Malik learns to read & write, toughens up, & learns the ins & outs of the Corsican gang. But towards the end of the film, when Malik is granted single-day leaves of absence for good behavior ... he takes advantage of his newfound knowledge that the Corsicans hate all Arabs, & devises a plot against them.
'Gripping' is a word I'd use to describe portions of this crime drama. That said, it's a very long film (at 155 minutes). Its bloody violence proves difficult to sit through. There are no flesh & blood female characters of note, so don't go looking for one. And there's an odd element of the supernatural (concerning ghosts & the power of prophecy) at play. I don't know, it just seemed superfluous to have been included; as if to say, well, this just can't be a straight crime drama, let's throw in - for example - a fantasy sequence involving a deer accident. 'A Prophet' is filmed in that hand-held, shaky cam technique that - at once - makes you feel like you're right there with the characters ... but it also comes across as pretentious if overused. And I do think it was overused. But I'm nitpicking right now.
As depressing & as bleak as most of the film is ... it is also unflinching in its depiction of prison life. I respect that. There's no romanticizing here, no melodrama. Prison is a horrifying place; especially those with no "protection" from within. 'A Prophet' takes a stunning, believable look at the evolution of the main character who starts out a weakling, but grows to be a strong, & smart survivor. Through his incredible journey behind the prison walls, he's able to define himself (something he wasn't able to do in his youth). Newcomer Tahar Rahim is a revelation as Malik. Outstanding. Over the course of the film, I felt every single momentary emotion that he felt (meekness, fear, anxiety, nervousness, ease, gradual assertiveness, redemption). He just has one of those ineffable natural abilities to reel you in. And I greatly look forward to what film he's in next. Niels Arestrup is also excellent as the monstrous puppet master who connives with raw intensity.
Overall, 'A Prophet' is, for me, one of those undeniably excellent films that is easier to admire than love. The movie is not my cup of tea. But I'm glad I saw it. And I suppose I'd recommend it to a portion of people who just love this bold, meditative brand of cinema. And as mentioned, it's not just that this film isn't my 'type' ... it is a long film that feels long. The 1st half hour is wonderfully intense. I loved the ending. I loved the performances. But there is over an hour & a half chunk in the middle of this film that failed to grip me. The film stalls. There's no urgency, there's little character depth going on, & some of the gang double-crossings became tedious. But, though imperfect, 'A Prophet' is still a quality movie that should rivet a fair share of audiences.
Fragile, & content to keep to himself, he becomes easy prey to the Corsican gang in the prison. Since there are lots of Arabs present, one would think Malik would be safe with them. However, he is first approached by those Corsicans, where fearful leader Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup) makes Malik an offer: if he can kill a fellow Arab (Hichem Yacoubi) who is testifying in court against the Corsicans, then he will be pardoned by the them. But if Malik won't kill him, HE will be the dead man. With no choice in the matter, Malik painstakingly prepares for his 1st kill; a kill that will put him right in the middle of a prison power struggle. Haunted by visions of the 1st man he killed, but determined to impress Cesar, Malik learns to read & write, toughens up, & learns the ins & outs of the Corsican gang. But towards the end of the film, when Malik is granted single-day leaves of absence for good behavior ... he takes advantage of his newfound knowledge that the Corsicans hate all Arabs, & devises a plot against them.
'Gripping' is a word I'd use to describe portions of this crime drama. That said, it's a very long film (at 155 minutes). Its bloody violence proves difficult to sit through. There are no flesh & blood female characters of note, so don't go looking for one. And there's an odd element of the supernatural (concerning ghosts & the power of prophecy) at play. I don't know, it just seemed superfluous to have been included; as if to say, well, this just can't be a straight crime drama, let's throw in - for example - a fantasy sequence involving a deer accident. 'A Prophet' is filmed in that hand-held, shaky cam technique that - at once - makes you feel like you're right there with the characters ... but it also comes across as pretentious if overused. And I do think it was overused. But I'm nitpicking right now.
As depressing & as bleak as most of the film is ... it is also unflinching in its depiction of prison life. I respect that. There's no romanticizing here, no melodrama. Prison is a horrifying place; especially those with no "protection" from within. 'A Prophet' takes a stunning, believable look at the evolution of the main character who starts out a weakling, but grows to be a strong, & smart survivor. Through his incredible journey behind the prison walls, he's able to define himself (something he wasn't able to do in his youth). Newcomer Tahar Rahim is a revelation as Malik. Outstanding. Over the course of the film, I felt every single momentary emotion that he felt (meekness, fear, anxiety, nervousness, ease, gradual assertiveness, redemption). He just has one of those ineffable natural abilities to reel you in. And I greatly look forward to what film he's in next. Niels Arestrup is also excellent as the monstrous puppet master who connives with raw intensity.
Overall, 'A Prophet' is, for me, one of those undeniably excellent films that is easier to admire than love. The movie is not my cup of tea. But I'm glad I saw it. And I suppose I'd recommend it to a portion of people who just love this bold, meditative brand of cinema. And as mentioned, it's not just that this film isn't my 'type' ... it is a long film that feels long. The 1st half hour is wonderfully intense. I loved the ending. I loved the performances. But there is over an hour & a half chunk in the middle of this film that failed to grip me. The film stalls. There's no urgency, there's little character depth going on, & some of the gang double-crossings became tedious. But, though imperfect, 'A Prophet' is still a quality movie that should rivet a fair share of audiences.