A Prophet

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A Prophet

R

2010

2h 29m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

164 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

Aug 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

Jan 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

Jul 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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Belen Prieto

Espinof

Jul 16, 2026

5/5

With its restrained staging, constant tension, and stunning realism, the film has established itself as a landmark of contemporary European cinema and one of the most important works in Audiard's filmography. [Full review in Spanish]

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

May 7, 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)

Jul 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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Marco L

@decatur555 4 days ago

What makes A Prophet work is not simply the prison setting or the criminal intrigue, but the gradual transformation of Malik. He enters prison young, isolated and almost powerless, and slowly learns how its hierarchies, languages and alliances operate. Tahar Rahim makes that evolution believable because Malik never suddenly becomes a mastermind: he watches, learns, makes mistakes and quietly builds his own network. Niels Arestrup is excellent as César, whose relationship with Malik gradually reverses as the pupil becomes less dependent on the man controlling him. Jacques Audiard's violence is harsh rather than glamorous, while the occasional dreamlike images add something stranger to the realism. At nearly two and a half hours, it can feel dense, and I admired it more than I loved it. But its final image perfectly completes Malik's journey: he entered with nothing and leaves as someone others now follow.

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Will B.

@mrmoviewatcherwill123 Jan 9, 2026

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

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Scott R

@ScottR Oct 5, 2025

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, 2025

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, 2025

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

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Phillip D

@phildub Mar 1, 2025

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

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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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