Little Cesar ; a Prophet (18) Cast: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel

Summary

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Cast: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif Plot: Illiterate 19-year-old Arab Malik El Djebena (Rahim) has spent most of his life in institutions. He's transferred to his first adult prison in France to serve a six-year sentence, where the usual happens - he gets beaten up and feels isolated, then top dog Cesar (Arestrup) orders him to bump off a fellow inmate to stop him testifying. "If you don't kill him, I'll kill you," he's told. Forced to slash the throat of his victim in horrifyingly realistic scenes, he carries out his side of the deal.

As time goes on, he becomes a trusted lackey of Cesar and his fellow Corsicans, but Malik feels torn between that gang and the rival one of Arab prisoners. One Arab, Ryad (Bencherif), is a true friend and teaches him to read and take exams. When he's let out on day release, suddenly Malik starts masterminding a major drugs operation of his own. Good points: It's a well-made film, the winner of several awards and nominated for a Golden Globe. The performances are above average and a few key scenes are gripping. Bad points: There aren't enough of those scenes in a two-and-a-half-hour film which often feels too slow. It's believable but a little hard to follow at times, with all the different gangs and deals going down. There's not enough character development to make me emotionally involved in the story.

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Little Cesar ; a Prophet (18) Cast: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel

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