A Prophet
Dir: Jacques Audiard
2009
*****
A Prophet is a very clever film within the 'Prison' genre. Our protagonist is caught in the middle of two sides when sentenced to six years imprisonment but this is not a film about suffering and neither is it particularly about success in the face of adversity. All cliches are out the window. Instead we see harsh realities, the good and the bad, and how being the middleman has it's pros and its cons. The levels of organisation and criminality in the prison system are explored well, the vicious circle that criminals find themselves upon release has been covered in other films but not as effectively as they have here in my opinion. The story is held in place by the great direction and impressive performances. Every decade has a film that raises the bar in a certain genre and this is one of them.