Most reviews of Un prophète are either very positive or quite negative. There seems to be no middle ground. I don’t know what to make of it.
I would ask any view of Avatar or The Hurt Locker whether each film would have the same impact if it were the fourth or fifth version of that style of film. Unfortunately for Un prophète, it seems like it is one neo-realist film too many. After films like Gomorrah, Sin Nombre, and The Disappearance of Alice Creed have broken down all taboos and shown the gritty omnipresent nature of crime. Relative to its predecessors, does this work add anything new to the discussion? The answer may be a profound “no.”
A truly excellent film is memorable even if the genre has been explored before. An average film may be significant merely because of novelty. I found that the plot was overly intricate and that there was poor character development. The gang war between the Muslims and the Corsicans is unnecessarily complicated and the tragic hero never experiences his catharsis. What was the true consequence of his actions? He appears to have escaped scot-free.
The film shines when it explores what people will do to survive. The protagonist is asked to kill a man; his former cellmate becomes a drug dealer to support his family. These questions are asked intelligently and the characters must deal with the consequences. There are also some atypical characters portrayed by strong actors who stand out. In the end, many of the supporting characters are hoisted by their own petard and must deal with their past.
It’s too bad that the film is more of a mafia caper and less of a study in human morality. Relative to current cinema, it’s an excessively long cliché. I don’t see how it merits the Cannes Grand Prix. **½