Review of A Prophet (2009) by Nesbitt10 — 07 Jul 2013

Indeed, crime pays in "A Prophet,” the most widely valued French underworld thriller in decades, recognized as one of the best-developed crime dramas, and one of the most compelling crime figures in recent cinema history. “A Prophet” is the kind of film that makes you remember why going to the movies can be a thrilling experience.

The film tells the story of how a 19-year-old Arab youth with no family or relatives who enters a French prison as a scared, illiterate young man and emerges six years later as the area’s indisputable mob kingpin. It’s a hard-won journey and a metamorphosis of dubious merit that creates a tone that is both inspirational and terrifying. "A Prophet" follows the life of Malik (Tahar Rahim), a young Frenchman of Arab descent, who enters prison as an outsider and is shaped into an adult criminal from the inside. He is a blank slate who has been disposed of by proper society, yet able to rise within the prison hierarchy due to his innate intelligence and sheer will to survive. The prison is under the control of, in essence, by a Corsican gang of inmates headed by César Luciani (Niels Arestrup), whose word is law. César sees everything but expresses little.

Shortly after his arrival, Malik is ordered by César to murder of another prisoner, an action that grants him protection. The murder sequence is absolutely gripping from his preparation for the act, to how Malik finally pulls it off. His reaction to this brutal initiation is stunningly depicted as it forever haunts Malik. In the years the to come, Malik transforms before our very eyes. Malik's rise to power is chronicled in a logical and believable manner. His ascension through the ranks comes primarily from careful observation and taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. He also manipulates; when he learns that César thinks all Arabs are stupid, he uses the revelation to his advantage.

Director Jacques Audiard effortlessly constructs a foreboding landscape with complicated rules, and developing characters that are compelling and empathetic, even as they commit heinous acts. Rahim perfectly telegraphs his maturation from petty thief to major player in a brilliant performance that relies much less on words, than the confidence he exudes in his actions. He doesn't need to tell us that he is taking charge of the prison, or surpassing Cesar, we just watch it happen. The film's brutal, realistic violence is not for the faint for heart, but fans of raw, gripping cinema shouldn't be put off; "A Prophet" demands to be seen.

“A Prophet” was a 2010 Academy Award Nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, and winner of the 2010 London Film Critics Award for Best Picture of the Year. The film won a total of nine César Awards in 2010 (the French equivalent of the Oscar), including best actor (Rahim), best director, and best picture.