A visceral crime thriller which earned numerous comparisons to The Godfather upon release, Jacques Audiard's prison drama sees newcomer Tahar Rahim play Malik El Djebena, a young Algerian-born man who ends up in the slammer for a petty crime and quickly climbs the prison hierarchy. Audiard leaves no stone unturned as he depicts the brutal nature of prison life (an early scene involving a razor blade will remain scarred on the retinas of anyone who sees it), and though this sort of material is nothing new, the deep socio-political undercurrent helps it feel fresh throughout. With such a firm hold on the structures of prison life (political and otherwise), it's little surprise that A Prophet won the BAFTA for Best Film Not In The English Language.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
