Having heard positive reviews and opinions, and with the award hype attributed to it, Un Prophéte was a film I was eager to see. Providing an interesting look at issues of race within the penal system, the film is certainly not without merit.
The film follows the story of Malik, a young man imprisoned for an unclear crime who soon learns that survival in prison is much different to survival in the outside world. He struggles to find himself between the Muslims and the Corsicans, both of which reject him as a member of the other.
From its beginning, Un Prophète offers an interesting look at prison life and the stigma of entering it. Although it starts strong, it's not long before things become problematic. While it is indeed interesting, entertaining, and engaging, the film left me with the impression that it was missing something important. The transition the main character undergoes as part of the film is the centerpiece of the work, and it is the ease and rapidity with which it is undergone that caused this problem with my viewing. Though it does not go unmentioned, the moral implications of some of Malik's acts seem underplayed and almost forgotten, doing little to endear me to this character. His smooth transition to criminal mastermind was just a little too smooth for my tastes, and I soon found my faith in the character, and the film, lost. Aside from this, the plot is entertaining and keeps the pace well. Tahir Rahim and Niels Arestrup each provide strong performances, Arestrup's fading glory conveyed with a glorious subtlety.
Benefiting from a good cast, Un Prophète provides a range of fine performances. Though the central character is lacking and, for me, unrelatable, the plot of the film manages to carry it along nicely, ensuring it is a worthwhile watch.
The film follows the story of Malik, a young man imprisoned for an unclear crime who soon learns that survival in prison is much different to survival in the outside world. He struggles to find himself between the Muslims and the Corsicans, both of which reject him as a member of the other.
From its beginning, Un Prophète offers an interesting look at prison life and the stigma of entering it. Although it starts strong, it's not long before things become problematic. While it is indeed interesting, entertaining, and engaging, the film left me with the impression that it was missing something important. The transition the main character undergoes as part of the film is the centerpiece of the work, and it is the ease and rapidity with which it is undergone that caused this problem with my viewing. Though it does not go unmentioned, the moral implications of some of Malik's acts seem underplayed and almost forgotten, doing little to endear me to this character. His smooth transition to criminal mastermind was just a little too smooth for my tastes, and I soon found my faith in the character, and the film, lost. Aside from this, the plot is entertaining and keeps the pace well. Tahir Rahim and Niels Arestrup each provide strong performances, Arestrup's fading glory conveyed with a glorious subtlety.
Benefiting from a good cast, Un Prophète provides a range of fine performances. Though the central character is lacking and, for me, unrelatable, the plot of the film manages to carry it along nicely, ensuring it is a worthwhile watch.