A Prophet (2009)

[Christopher Nolan]

A Prophet (2009)

A Prophet is a 2009 french crime film directed by Jacques Audiard. Audiard claims that the film aims at "creating icons, images for people who don't have images in movies, like the Arabs in France, " though he also had stated that the film "has nothing to do with his vision of society," and is a work of fiction.


Story:
Sentenced to six years in prison, young man Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim) is alone in the world and can neither read nor write. On his arrival at the prison he falls under the sway of a Corsican mafia group, led by Luciani, who enforce their rule in the prison. Malik toughens himself and wins the confidence of the Corsican group. He follows Luciani's orders to kill prisoner Reyeb. Luciani arranges 12-hour leaves for Malik, in which Luciani sends him on missions, including murder. Malik learns how to read and write, and uses all his intelligence to discreetly develop his own network. His power grows and finally he is no longer on Luciani's side.




Cast:

• Tahar Rahim as Malik El Djebena
• Niels Arestrup as César Luciani
• Adel Bencherif as Ryad
• Reda Kateb as Jordi Le Gitan
• Hichem Yacoubi as Reyeb
• Jean-Philippe Ricci as Vettorri
• Gilles Cohen as Prof
• Antoine Basler as Pilicci
• Leïla Bekhti as Djamila

Reception:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1213205-prophet/
http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/prophet?q=a prophet

"As epic as The Godfather." -Kevin Maher,The London Times

"Like The Godfather, which it regularly recalls, A Prophet serves up crime as a metaphor for life and power…" -John Anderson, Wall Street Journal

"The film's hero is a cousin to the protagonists of The Godfather or Scarface, but the movie writes its gangland saga without phony mob glamour." - Robert Horton, Everett Herald

"If Malik doesn't remind you of Al Pachino's Michael Corleone on his journey from innocence to corruption in The Godfather saga, well…he should. A Prophet is similarly, startlingly momentous." -Stephen Rea, The Philadelphia Inquirer

"A Prophet is a new crime classic." -Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

"4 out of 4 stars." -Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"A stylish revelation, recalling The Godfather…" -James Verniere, The Boston Herald

"A Prophet is Godfather good…" -Karen Durbin, Elle



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I know this film is not new. But i didnt find a thread regarding this brilliant movie. In my opinion it is one of the best movies of the last years. acting is superb, especially Rahim gives us an amazing acting performance.

Pretty sure that many members on this board have seen this movie.
what do you think?




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[Carmine Falcone]

Hey, finally a Un Prophète thread around here!

What an absolutely brilliant piece of work this movie is! You can dig up all the superlatives you like, they're all fitting in describing this movie. Yes, it's riveting, yes it's spellbinding. The two lead performances are perfect, the directing is cock-sure in the way only the French can. It's a classic story, it's not new by any means (although there is a very strong multi-cultural aspect I have rarely seen before). But the execution is flawless. A man comes into prison, relatively innocent and by scheming and learning the tricks of the trade he rises to a position of power.

What I like especially is how you are dropped into the movie and it's world together with it's protagonist, Malik. You barely learn anything about his past in this movie, even his crime is merely hinted at. Malik is defined by his actions and inactions in the movie not by dialouge or backstory at all. Tahar Rahim gives a fantastic performance, showing Malik's transformation mostly through body language. His shyness developing into a sort of arrogant untouchable figure. He delivers some truly unforgettable and completely believable moments of pure terror, anxiety and adrenaline. An extremely talented actor.

Also, Niels Arestrup is phenomenal in this movie. A despiseable toad of a man. Utterly unpredictable and increasingly tragic. In a very subtle way, his dignity shrinks further and further whilst he desprerately tries to clamp to his former glory and status.

Then there is a great soundtrack to top it all off! An ultra-modern movie and a modern classic at that! A must-see.

 

[Bunker]

This movie is The Godfather of our generation. An epic crime drama in every sense of the word.

 

[Rac]

Should have won the Oscar for best foreign language.

 

[Christopher Nolan]

This movie is The Godfather of our generation. An epic crime drama in every sense of the word.

couldnt agree more.

received my blu-ray yesterday and watched the movie again. no word to describe this masterpiece...this is the best movie of the last years.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

That

Spoiler

throat-slitting scene

is absolutely gut-wrenching. Jesus Holy Christ, this is a great movie. I hope Tahar Rahim won't be dragged into the fiery pits of Hollywood...

 

[Doctor Jones]

This was a great film. I liked the gradual pacing of it. You really get the full sense of his journey from a newbie inmate to someone who is now on top but in a modest way.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

Yes, that's one of the things I like about it. He's not gonna be this big Tony Montana figure when he gets out. Audiard called this the ''anti-Scarface'' as a matter of fact. No glamour whatsoever.

What I also liked was that Audiard shows the numbing drug-like effect killings and violence have on Malik. His first kill is extremely tense, but near the end with the shoot-out in the van (which is one of the best shoot-out scenes I have ever seen) he seems almost relaxed and enjoying it.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Yes, that's one of the things I like about it. He's not gonna be this big Tony Montana figure when he gets out. Audiard called this the ''anti-Scarface'' as a matter of fact. No glamour whatsoever.

What I also liked was that Audiard shows the numbing drug-like effect killings and violence have on Malik. His first kill is extremely tense, but near the end with the shoot-out in the van (which is one of the best shoot-out scenes I have ever seen) he seems almost relaxed and enjoying it.

I forgot about the last shoot out. Must have not left an impression on me. But I do remember the first kill. That was intense. When his mouth started bleeding it sold it.

 

[Dark Victory]

A contemporary classic. Hell, I'd even say it's better than other highly regarded gangster movies.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I'd say the story is better than the characters themselves. The standout for me was the old inmate. He was intimidating. Whenever he got close to Malik I was always afraid he would do something... and he usually did.

But Malik isn't in the ranks of Henry Hill or Michael Corleone.

 

[Christopher Nolan]

But Malik isn't in the ranks of Henry Hill or Michael Corleone.

he goes the same way. the difference is that there was a godfather part 2, so people could see what happend to michael after the first movie. but i dont want another un prophete movie...

 

[flickchick85]

I LOVED this movie, and I'm glad it has a thread. And I agree, I wouldn't want to see a "Part 2."

 

[Octoberist]

Great movie

 

[Doctor Jones]

he goes the same way. the difference is that there was a godfather part 2, so people could see what happend to michael after the first movie. but i dont want another un prophete movie...

Nah, that would be a bad idea. The whole idea of the film was him rising to the status and the journey. Not what comes afterwards. The end is pretty much all we need to know as to how his future will be.