A Prophet

Condemned to six years in prison, Malik El Djebena, part Arab, part Corsican, cannot read or write. Arriving at the jail entirely alone, he appears younger and more fragile than the other convicts. He is 19 years old. Cornered by the leader of the Corsican gang currently ruling the prison, he is given a number of “missions” to carry out, toughening him up and gaining the gang leader’s confidence in the process. Malik is a fast learner and rises up the prison ranks, all the while secretly devising his own plans.  Rated R.  FRENCH LANGUAGE FILM WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES!

You want to see a thrilling gangster movie.  She wants to see some high-brow foreign film.  Where is the compromise?  My suggestion: rent A Prophet on DVD and you both will win.

As a gangster flick, I can’t quite yet give it “classic” status yet, but I do rank it right up there with a classic like Goodfellas in that the way the movie was done makes the characters experience seem extremely visceral for the audience.  While watching the movie, you get the feeling that this is what it may really be like to get locked up in a Corsican prison.  Overall, it was smart, well acted and the story flowed.

Plus, you’ll get brownie points with your girlfriend (or boyfriend) for giving in to their idea to watch a foreign film. 

The closest Redbox kiosks to Uptown Buckhead are at Kroger (3330 Piedmont Rd NE, 3871 Peachtree Rd NE and 4920 Roswell Rd NE).