A Prophet

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A Prophet

R

Released Feb 26, 2010

2h 29m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

163 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

This acclaimed crime drama follows Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim), a delinquent young Muslim man, who is struggling to get by in a French prison. When he is taken under the wing of powerful Corsican mob boss Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup), he begins performing regular assignments for him, proving himself invaluable to the imposing criminal. As Malik rises in the mob ranks, he gains more power, but also more enemies, a situation that eventually brings conflict with his mentor.

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Critics Consensus

Featuring an impressive star turn by newcomer Tahar Rahim, A Prophet is a French gangster film filled with arresting, immediate details.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Usually, I don't much like films in which males throw violence at any problem that comes their way... But this is such an intensely mature piece of work featuring such intensely mature performances that I was too involved to let it bother me.

Aug 30, 2018

Full Review

Ed Koch

The Atlantic

A Prophet is not a fabulous film, but it is well worth seeing. Although it is 2 hours 29 minutes long and its story is not surprising, it is always riveting.

Jan 13, 2018

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Amy Taubin

Film Comment Magazine

But with its lush Alexandre Desplat score, deeply shadowed compositions, and fluid, understated camera movement, A Prophet is distinctly an Audiard construction.

Jul 12, 2013

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

A Prophet is an early contender for 2010's best film. It successfully marries engaging entertainment with art-house sensibilities in a way that few films do of late, maintaining intelligent complexity and thematic richness...

Rated: 4/5

May 7, 2024

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

A Prophet is not casual entertainment, you have to ready yourself to bear it… overwhelming and at time almost mystical. [Full review in Spanish]

Jul 19, 2022

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

An incisive crime saga told within the confines of concrete walls and deprived humanity.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 11, 2022

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Alejandro I

EMILIA PEREZ LO PEOR EN LA HISTORIA DEL CINE!!!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/25

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Liam D

A combination of a gangster film and prison drama. It features an great script, wonderful acting and fantastic direction

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

Full Review

Jerod S

It's a rags to riches mob boss story of a 19 yr old Corsican that goes from illiterate and green, to a crafty killer.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/05/25

Full Review

Isa B

The Arab Michael Corleone. This was a fantastic film. I thoroughly enjoyed it for it's brilliant acting, precise direction and beautifully gritty camera work. This was a well written story with many twists and turns. A Prophet is first class cinema! I love it and I highly recommend you check it out! 95/100

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/09/24

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nilufer e

It was a classic mob / prison movie but what made it special was Tahar Rahim's amazing performance and being in French. It was kind of too long though.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/16/24

Full Review

Obada Z

A movie where your eyes are set on the screen for the complete 2 and half hour runtime. I definitely liked the smooth transition - in terms of storytelling - of Malik, from an abused prisoner and a tool in the hands of a prison mob to a mob leader of his own. The movie made me sometimes guess what is happening but in the end the outcome was expected and presented well. I like characters that pick up skill during their struggle. Malik shows how in such harsh reality, you've got to become what that reality is asking of you. Taher's acting was effective and convincing. Some of the camera's work was strange e.g. when only a circle of the screen can be seen and the rest is blacked-out. In such type of movies, I always find myself asking this question: How does the star - in this case Tahar - feels about portraying such character with such background and story?

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

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Jacques Audiard

Director

Tahar Rahim

Malik El Djebena

Niels Arestrup

César Luciani

Adel Bencherif

Ryad

Reda Kateb

Jordi

Hichem Yacoubi

Reyeb

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Synopsis

This acclaimed crime drama follows Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim), a delinquent young Muslim man, who is struggling to get by in a French prison. When he is taken under the wing of powerful Corsican mob boss Cesar Luciani (Niels Arestrup), he begins performing regular assignments for him, proving himself invaluable to the imposing criminal. As Malik rises in the mob ranks, he gains more power, but also more enemies, a situation that eventually brings conflict with his mentor.

Director: Jacques Audiard
Producer: Pascal Caucheteux, Grégoire Sorlat
Screenwriter: Thomas Bidegain, Jacques Audiard, Abdel Raouf Dafri, Nicolas Peufaillit
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: BIM Distribuzione, France 2 Cinéma, Why Not Productions, Page 114, Celluloid Dreams, Chic Films, UGC Images
Rating: R (Language|Drug Material|Nudity|Sexual Content|Strong Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 26, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.1M
Runtime: 2h 29m

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