“A Prophet,” directed by Jacques Audiard and nominated for a Best Foreign Language Oscar, is intense and brutal from start to finish. Audiard’s graphic film about prison life is full of violence, corruption, discrimination, and power struggles and he seemingly makes no moral judgments as his protagonist, Malik (Tahar Rahim), juggles his conscience and his will to survive. Sentenced to six years in prison, the 19-year-old Malik is quickly recruited by César (Niels Arestrup), leader of the Corsican gang and head honcho to kill a witness being held in the Muslim section of the prison. So begins Malik’s practical education, which he enhances with careful observation of the various illegal activities run by César and others. Malik also learns to read and write and establishes relationships with the various factions in the prison.
The story hinges on Malik’s transformation from an ignorant submissive criminal into an intelligent dominant force. And first-time actor Tahar Rahim is effective as the docile Arab youth who gradually challenges the prison’s power structure. César, played with silken menace by Niels Arestrup, is worthy of Brando’s godfather. Audiard is adept at creating tension and suspense, including an assassination shot in close-up inside a van on the streets of Paris. “A Prophet,” which won the grand prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, will shock you with its violence and prompt discussions of its themes. Subtitles. 2/28/10
1 comment:
"A Prophet" is a film as raw as red meat and as brutal as anything I've seen. Directed by Jacques Audiard, this movie caused the French government to take a hard look at their prison system to see if they had anything like the corruption shown in this film. The prison staff was more corrupt than the inmates, anything could be bought for a price including drugs, sex, anything! It’s a rough movie to watch but it is worth seeing.
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