Who would have thought that to become the shit you would first have to go to prison? Usually you start off as the shit and your reputation keeps you alive in prison. Well that’s not the case in Un Prophete, an Oscar nominated French film which I would highly recommend to anyone who loves a great movie about life in prison from the perspective of one, originally lowly, individual.
To reach great heights sometimes requires you to be a bit of a bottom feeder. A prophet is the story of a 19 year old man who’s had a troublesome life until he is finally committed to six years in prison. It is his time in prison which completely transforms his life, more for the better than the worse. Malik, our main character who cannot read or write, becomes the bitch of the prison top dogs and works his to the top by listening, learning, and taking initiative. It is in prison where this young Arab man changes his fortunes to become a kingpin.
The upside:
1) Amazing character development
2) Terrific script/story
3) Solid acting
4) Perfect cinematography
5) You feel connected to the character-experiencing prison yourself
6) The soundtrack
The downside:
1) Slightly boring at times
2) One or two confusing points
3) A bit long for most people (I thought it worked-155 min.)
Overall, I thought this movie was fantastic and had a great premise. The brief synopsis on IMDB is what really sold me to go watch this movie. A young Arab man is sent to a French prison where he becomes a mafia kingpin (IMDB). The movie has all the elements of a potentially great film: prison, the mafia, and becoming a kingpin. Those items get me fired up specifically because I am Italian, I think any movie with the Mafia in it has potential, and the idea of rising to power within a restricted system, prison, is not something you hear about every day. Malik, played by Tahar Rahim, has to overcome many barriers, both societal and racial, while in prison if he is to become a mafia kingpin.
I really enjoyed this movie because I was able to follow Malik’s life for six years in prison. I could understood his pains, his joys, his highs and lows throughout his sentence. I could feel the strong relationships he had with his friends and ‘family.’ Feeling these connections is what makes this movie great and why I have to give the screenwriters Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain credit for making this connection real and strong. I felt like I was living in the prison system working my way up to be a true prison success story. The director, Jacques Audiard, deserves credit as well for translating his cooperative work so successfully to the silver screen while bringing out the best performance from Tahar Rahim. If it wasn’t for his acting, this movie would not have been the same, the experience would have changed because I don’t know if I could have empathized with another actor the way I was able to with Tahar. Even Niels Arestrup, who played Cesar Luciani, was impeccable as the king of the prison world and Master of Malik. These were the two men who brought this movie to another level.
Finally, the mood of the film was both somber and exciting. Even though Malik was treated terribly in the start of the film, keeping it rather somber for quite a while, you could feel yourself becoming more eager to see how he was going to transform next. This movie was the longest upward crescendo I have ever witnessed with maybe one or two dips throughout its duration. The pace of the movie rarely changed until the end which actually worked out very well and is probably why it was nominated for an Oscar.
Even if you don’t like the French, give this film a go because it is filmmaking at its finest. It isn’t a sequel, its rather original, and isn’t hollywooded up. It is an authentic piece of art that will truly captivate you and keep you mesmerized for its 155 minute runtime. If that’s too long for you then watch it in two sittings because you will regret missing out on this film.
Rating: A terrific and captivating film that will entrench you into the French prison system as one of its inmates. (10/10)
Check out the trailer below and tell me what you think.
Recent Comments