Un Prophete (A Prophet)

Plot: A French Arab man is sent to a French prison for 6 years where he rises to become a Mafia crime boss. In French, Arabic, and Corsican with English Subtitles.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a50ZJFiHM34

Starring: Tahar Rahim (The 9/11 Commission Report), Niels Arestrup (Meeting Venus), Leila Bekhti (Paris I Love You)

Written by: director, Thomas Bidegain (Antoine et Sidonie), Abdel Raouf Dafri ("La commune"), Nicolas Peufaillit (Les enfants de Timpelbach)

Directed by: Cannes Golden Palm nominee Jacques Audiard (A Self-Made Hero & The Beat That My Heart Skipped)

Review:

Epic but slightly overlong. This is probably due to the fact that the film is in three different languages, and even with English subtitles, is still a lot to pay attention to and a lot to read. This movie is 2 hours and 35 minutes. That being said, it's an interesting character study about a petty criminal who rises to the top of the Mafia food chain while still in prison. This movie makes me think France should reconsider some of its prison practices. Well acted, written, and directed with a kind of snarky, tongue-in-cheek soundtrack that completely works. I have a feeling the director is a fan the movie Blow. A great crime drama deserving of all of its many accolades.

Fun facts: To insure the authenticity of the prison experience, the director hired former convicts as advisers and extras. Prior to making this film, the director had screened a film to prisoners in France. Shocked by the conditions in the prison facility, he decided his next film would take place in one.

Awards:

Academy Awards, USA
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2010	Nominated	Oscar	Best Foreign Language Film of the Year France.

Cannes Film Festival
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2009	Won	Grand Prize of the Jury	Jacques Audiard
	Nominated	Golden Palm	Jacques Audiard

Independent Spirit Awards
Year	Result	Award	Category/Recipient(s)
2010	Nominated	Independent Spirit Award	Best Foreign Film

Rating:

Writing-A

Acting-A

Directing-A

Music-A

Cinematography-A

Editing-A

Costumes-B

Art Direction-A

Hair-A

Makeup-A

Visual Effects-A

***1/2 Stars