A Prophet

Drew's Thoughts:
Jacques Audiard's latest film follows Malik, a young, possibly innocent, Arab man's stint in a Paris prison. Unlike most prison films that document an inmate's escape, or attempt to anyway, A Prophet witnesses a prisoner becoming ensnared in the environment around him. The thought of escape never crosses his mind, only how best can he succeed inside the prison.
Told with raw, unflinching intensity and realism, with a touch of surrealism as well, A Prophet is a character driven exposé akin to The Wire. Racism, corruption and mafia rivalry all factor in without overpowering character and plot development. I don't want to say much about the film because it's best to just experience how it unfolds for yourself. I will say, however, that the script is quite good and Audiard does a good job directing as well; and that the film's final half hour is a total tour-de-force and satisfying finale that the film slowly and unexpectedly builds to.
In a weak year for supporting actor, the French Rutger Hauer, Niels Arestrup's performance will be worth remembering. He plays Cesar Luciani, a mafia higher up operating from prison. His intense, volatile portrayal pulls no punches and never once courts the audience's sympathy. The lead actor field looks to be much trickier but Tahar Rahim's central performance is also good. Very naturalistic and without a trace of vanity, his assured performance is expressive without being "dramatic".
I see potential in A Prophet to be a film the PFA might be in unanimous favor of; it could be one of the big Dolphin contenders this year.