A Prophet

[Ian M]

This was Sight & Sound's Film of the Year for 2009, slightly annoying considering it has only just been released in the UK, although no doubt a verdict greeted with approval by their legions of French readers.

The director Jacques Audiard' last film was The Beat My Heart Skipped, a favourite around these parts if I remember correctly. This film has similarities, but is altogether deeper, more complex and demanding - not in any dull or worthy sense, but in a visceral, gripping cinematic switchback ride. A prison drama, but unlike the relatively benign Hollywood versions, it is an uncompromising, brutal environment, reminiscent of the harshness of the world portrayed in Gomorrah, where the corruption of crime and gangs affected everything. The central character, Malik, receives the equivalent of an education in prison, although one unlike any in the 'straight' world. It reminded me in some ways of The Wire, inasmuch as the rejects of mainstream society learn to live on their wits, in a world of shifting alliances and compromises, never able to fully trust anybody. Gangs, ethnicity, power, corruption, violence are all part of the prison world in which Malik has to find a way to survive. That he does so by an appalling initiation which begins his education makes him a deeply morally ambiguous character, whose fate is the mainspring of the tension constantly in the film, and which keeps you on the edge of your seat. It rises above the level of social realism with a quite amazing theme which gives rise to the title (I don't want to give too much away). Audiard apparently spends about 4 years working on each film, and it shows in the level of detail, the complexities of plot and character, as well as the remarkable camerawork and soundtrack. For me, it had the impact of Hidden, leaving you to think about it for days afterwards.

I don't know if it will make Film of The Year 2010, but it will definitely be top ten, and one I would classify as 'don't miss'. In fact, 'mustn't miss'.

[Adam Blake]

Saw it last night. I was on the edge of my seat but came away thinking it was about 20 minutes too long, that it sags a bit at the end. Very tough stuff. The first half is pretty flawless. A bit too early to tell. Still mulling.

[NormanD]

eleswhere, from uiwangamike

Coincidentally, Jimmie Dale (Gilmore) turned up again on my flight to Hong Kong (from one of whose splendid public libraries I'm posting this), doing a sepulchral version of Mack the Knife over the closing scene of La Prophete.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICRbinSuwcU
Sepulchral? Indeed so. In fact, Philip French's Observer review comments on the song's presence

[garth cartwright]

Just watched on DVD. Wow. Very tough, compelling film. the actors playing the main characters do a brilliant job. Comparisons to the Wire deserved. Superb use of music. I agree with Adam tho' - a bit too long and it gets silly at the end, a John Woo-style slaughter of a top Mafia man's crew tipped things into parody. I had the same problem with his last film when it came to the main character recognising the Mafia boss so beating the crap out of him then letting him live. He seems to need this extreme violence plus forgiveness = redemption thing in his films.

That said, easily one of the best films I have seen this year.

PS back to the discussion of how the working class are portrayed in films - I never doubted these characters, they reminded me of people I know or have known (OK, I don't know a Corsican mafia boss) but I've known lots of UK based Moroccans and Algerians and English yobs. Beyond Scum I'm struggling to think of a British film that doesn't go all Guy Ritchie when it comes to the UK's violent underclass.

[Jamie Renton]

Beyond Scum I'm struggling to think of a British film that doesn't go all Guy Ritchie when it comes to the UK's violent underclass.

It's not quite the same but, if you can stomach the extrreme violence, then Gangster Number One is a nasty antidote to all the Mockney crap films.

[AndyM]

This Is England has much to recommend it too.