A Prophet

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A Prophet

R

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

08/30/2018

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.

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Ed Koch

The Atlantic

01/13/2018

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.

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Amy Taubin

Film Comment Magazine

07/12/2013

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

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

05/07/2024

4/5

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...

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

07/19/2022

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

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/11/2022

4/4

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

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Will B.

@mrmoviewatcherwill123 Jan 9

Great movie! Just wish it wasn’t in French - one of my least favorite languages.

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Scott R

@ScottR Oct 5

NYT 100 21st Century movies list. It was a tough watch at times. So gritty and hard that I often wanted to give up. However, it was still informative. Showing an aspect of the FRE jails and their mafia structures / class systems. SLC DVD.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jun 8

Success in 2 hours and 29 minutes!!!!!!!! Rated R for Language, Drug Material, Nudity, Sexual Content and Strong Violence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Erik B

@ErikB85 Apr 16

Doesn't get any better than this, gritty, smart, perfect

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Phillip D

@phildub 03/01/2025

Had to watch it in a few sittings, but it was amazing. Very glad I stumbled across it.

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Alejandro I

@RT53628821 02/17/2025

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

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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: Chic Films, Celluloid Dreams, UGC Images, Why Not Productions, Page 114, BIM Distribuzione, France 2 Cinéma
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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