Review of A Prayer Before Dawn (2018) by Thequietgamer — 25 Nov 2018

My one complaint with the movie is that it's not an entirely accurate depiction of Billy Moore's time in the Thailand prison system. It stays true to the essence of his accounts, but there are events here that are totally fictionalized. I get that this is a common occurrence in film, but given that this is marketed as the "true story" I would have preferred if it was actually, well, the true story.

This depiction of Moore's journey is still powerful though. We witness a man at his lowest point. Incarcerated in a place where he doesn't even speak the language, scrounging for heroin to feed his addiction, and witnessing horrible acts on a daily basis. The film pulls no punches when it comes to its portrayal of prison life. Every shot feels disgusting and dangerous.

It's through the prison's boxing team that Moore begins to find a place among his fellow inmates and chance at redemption. Giving the movie an uplifting quality amongst all the filth. That doesn't mean things ever get soft though. The blows traded onscreen are real. Actor Joe Cole trained extensively for the role to ensure that he could believably hold his own in the ring.

The authenticity doesn't end there. Every inmate in the film was a former prisoner at some point. Many of whom can't speak English. The movie does a great job of letting viewers experience the same language barrier troubles as Moore did. Much of the dialog goes untranslated. So when the attacks start happening we get a small taste of the same anxiety and confusion as to why.

Joe Cole's raw performance is a sight to behold. He embodies all the rage, guilt, and pain of his subject with such soul. Effectively making this story of finding humanity and hope in the worst of situations and places all the more compelling. It may not be 100% accurate, but Moore's story is made no less incredible because of it.