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Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
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JUNE 23, 2009
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Michael Giltz
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Posted: May 16, 2009 07:40 PM
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Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A
Great Film!
Read More: A Prophet The Movie , Aborignals , Cannes Film
Festival, Cannes Movie Reviews , France , Jaffa The Movie , Movies, Samson ,
Entertainment News
Over the weekend, I'll just post reviews. Come
Monday, I'll offer up some interviews and tidbits,
so keep checking out the Entertainment page.
A PROPHET -- **** (OUT OF FOUR) A sigh of
relief. Sometimes at Cannes, it can take days and
days to see even a halfway decent film. Youdespair of liking anything. Not so this year. The
Opening Night film was the delightful Up . And
Thursday and Friday offered a range of films that
appealed to different people in one way or
another. But no more caveats: this morning was
the premiere of Un Prophete and it was received with a rush of enthusiastic applause by the critics.
(By the way, when people say a film was greeted with a standing ovation at Cannes, they're
referring to the evening performance for invited guests and the stars where a standing ovation is
almost obligatory. It's the morning screening for the critics where people will applaud and boo with
gusto and that's the reception that matters.) It's a familiar story, but of course one could say thatabout virtually any film. But when a film is specific and true, when its characters come alive, it
doesn't matter if you're watching boy meets girl or a mother fighting to keep her family together or
a triumph over adversity. When it's done well, it becomes fresh all over again.
In this case, it's the story of a harmless young man sent to prison for some unknown crime. Within
minutes, it seems, he's entered a horror zone where men attack and beat him with impunity. Soon,one of the strong men of the prison -- the Corsican leader Cesar (Niels Arestrup) -- is demandingour hero Malik (Tahir Rahim) kill another prisoner slated to testify in court. Malik is a mutt, of
sorts, and can pass between many groups but is despised by all. The Muslims see him as Corsican,
the Corsicans see him as a dirty Arab, the gypsies see him as weak, the guards don't see him at alland when he's beaten there is no one to help. Will Malik commit the murder? Will he become
hardened and cruel or get eaten alive or somehow survive but maintain his humanity? That's the
Sarah Jessica Parker and
Matthew Broderick RevealTwins' Names
READ MORE
Robert Pattinson Films by Day,
Prowls by Night
READ MORE
Gosselins Go Their Separate
Ways
READ MORE
More Celebrity News at People.com
Don't Miss HuffPost Bloggers
Gavin Newsom
The Nation's Most Ambitious
Recycling Law
T. Boone Pickens
Propane and the Pickens Plan
Popular Stories on HuffPost
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FAKE! Jon & Kate Divorce Papers:
Lived 'Separate And Apart' TWO
YEARS
PHOTOS: Miley Cyrus Photo Uproar:
Innocent Or Too Sexy? (POLL)
Phil Spector In 'Sensitive Needs' Area
Of Prison
Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]question that drives this engrossing and terrific film. We know Malik is smart. He takes advantage
of the prison school and learns how to read and write; he picks up Corsican just by listening to the
men talk. And when he peeks into the Muslim prayer service, we wonder: is Malik being drawn to
faith or just trying to make inroads on another group that might be able to protect him? Co-writerand director Jacques Audiard has made some very good films this decade. Read My Lips was a fun
thriller about a deaf woman partnering with her lover to pull off a crime. The Beat That My Heart
Skipped was an unlikely remake of the cult film Fingers by James Toback that surpassed the
original. But this film is a major leap forward. It's visually gripping, with shadowy passages
interspersed throughout the film where all we see is a fuzzy glimpse of what is happening or mightbe happening soon. (Don't forget the title of the film is "A Prophet.") And the score is sparely usedand very effective: at key moments, the theme overwhelms the action and transports Malik from a
man going about his furtive business to a person taking charge of his destiny. Both lead actors are
exceptional and I'm certain it will snag at least one major award. Perhaps it is this year's
Gomorrah , a crime film that was embraced by critics but didn't quite break out in the US. But
however this fares commercially, you don't want to miss it.
JAFFA -- ** (out of four) A melodramatic Israeli film with some nicely restrained acting by two
lovers surrounded by scenery chewing and a cheap, intrusive score. The set-up has potential. An
Israeli family owns a garage where the two main mechanics are Arabs (perhaps Palestinians?)
good at their jobs. Unfortunately, they're overseen by the tiresome owner's son who can't be
bothered to do any work but makes everyone else's lives miserable. (His own mother calls him aplague.) What's immediately apparent is that the daughter is in love with the sweet-faced, youngerArab mechanic and they're planning to elope right away (she's pregnant). A tragic accident/crime
ensues and everyone is miserable from then on. Frankly, it's hard to take seriously a film where a
young woman ages almost a decade -- and suddenly has a 9 year old daughter to prove it -- butlooks exactly the same.
MOTHER -- ** 1/2 (out of four) Bong Joon Ho's The Host -- the best monster movie in years --
was so much fun I can't help being a bit let down by his new film, even though it has merit. A
mentally challenged young man is railroaded by the police into confessing to the murder of a high
school girl that has shocked the community. He was seen in the area where the body was found,
drinking and flirting with another high school girl just hours earlier. Finding a golf ball with hisname on it near the body didn't help his case either. What's to investigate? But the young man's
determined mother wants to clear his name. She starts by hiring the most expensive attorney in
town but he's too dismissive. So Mother stars investigating on her own, discovering that themurdered girl was famously promiscuous and had a cell phone with pictures of all the men that
slept with her. Wouldn't any loving mother hide in the homes of thugs to get evidence, hire people
to beat up potential witnesses and get information or do just about anything to free her son? Boththe mother and her son are well-acted, but after the fifth or so shocking revelation, the story
becomes both more far fetched and more predictable. That doesn't take away from the central
appeal of the revenge/justice engine that drives the film. But it's ultimately more of a melodramathan a gripping potrayal of what love can drive people to do.
SAMSON & DELILAH -- *** (out of four) One of my most anticipated films of the fest isn't a
home run but it's unquestionably an accomplished debut and the start of a promising career for
director/writer/editor/cinematographer/composer and for all I know caterer Warwick Thornton.
This Australian talent has crafted an almost silent film about two young people who fall in love --
one warily and one guilelessly. Samson is a huffer (a kid addicted to breathing in toxic fumes frompaint or gasoline or anything else that can get you high); he's got a brother in a band who plays the
same damn song with his mates over and over again. Delilah is a capable girl taking care of her
aged grandmother while they craft lovely art sold far from their aboriginal home for a lot moremoney than they are paid. Scene after scene unfolds with virtually no dialogue, though no big deal
is made about this and it's done so artfully you won't think much of it until you're halfway through
the film and realized how little dialogue is actually spoken. Samson brings his bedroll over toDelilah's home. She tosses it over the fence. He puts it back over the fence. She tosses it out again.He wears her down and sleeps by the fire far from where she rests. But in the morning his bedroll
is right next to hers. She tosses it onto the fire. It doesn't stop him. The sweet, almost comic tone
of the film slips away when Delilah's grandmother dies and a burst of violence sends them far fromtheir aboriginal community into town where we realize how outcast they truly are. If they walk intoa supermarket, the guards follow them around suspiciously. Even walking down the road they are
targets for disdain and violence. Numerous tragic turns -- including one major "cheat" by the film;
that is, a misleading plot twist where we are denied information to create undue suspense -- givethis once romantic tale a very sober, dispiriting tone. But the leads are winning and the film is
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Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]
beautifully shot. Not an image is wasted or out of place in this confident, fine film. And who knew
that aboriginal convicts are big fans of country and western singer Charley Pride? You learn
something new every day.
KINATAY -- * 1/2 (out of four) No normal person would enjoy Kinatay , a slight, unremarkable
movie about a young police officer in training dragooned against his will into the horrific killing
and dismembering of a stripper by his fellow cops. And yet, in the context of a film festival, I can
find myself saying, "Yes, of course, it was better than his last film Serbis ." (Low bar. Really low
bar.) Or something like, "And yes, now that you mention it, I DID find a bit of tension out of the 45minutes devoted to a simple car ride from one city to another shot in murky darkness and withminimal dialogue." It is indeed more coherent than Brillante Mendoza's earlier work. Thestorytelling was more vigorous and focused before it devolved into one simple action told at
ponderous length. And as Mendoza overcomes the countless obstacles to a vibrant film community
in the Phillipines, it makes sense that smart programmers would take notice of his movies and
continued development as an artist. But trust me, you don't want to see it.
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Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
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Arthur Lefebvre I'm a Fan of Arthur Lefebvre permalink
I know this was probably posted before you saw it but, what did you think of Anti Christ that
seems to be the one that the blogs are talking about?
AContrario I'm a Fan of AContrario permalink
"But when a film is specific and true, when its characters come alive, it doesn't matter if you're watchingboy meets girl or a mother fighting to keep her family together or a triumph over adversity. When it'sdone well, it becomes fresh all over again."
You nailed it.
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Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]
JUNE 23, 2009
HOME POLITICS MEDIA BUSINESS ENTERTAINMENT LIVING STYLE GREEN WORLD COMEDY 23/6
NEW YORK CHICAGO VIDEO BLOGGER INDEX ARCHIVE
Make HuffPost Your HomePage
Get Email Alerts
Michael Giltz
Freelance writer and raconteur
Posted: May 16, 2009 07:40 PM
BIO
Become a
Fan
Get EmailAlerts
Bloggers'Index
Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A
Great Film!
Read More: A Prophet The Movie , Aborignals , Cannes Film
Festival, Cannes Movie Reviews , France , Jaffa The Movie , Movies, Samson ,
Entertainment News
Over the weekend, I'll just post reviews. Come
Monday, I'll offer up some interviews and tidbits,
so keep checking out the Entertainment page.
A PROPHET -- **** (OUT OF FOUR) A sigh of
relief. Sometimes at Cannes, it can take days and
days to see even a halfway decent film. Youdespair of liking anything. Not so this year. The
Opening Night film was the delightful Up . And
Thursday and Friday offered a range of films that
appealed to different people in one way or
another. But no more caveats: this morning was
the premiere of Un Prophete and it was received with a rush of enthusiastic applause by the critics.
(By the way, when people say a film was greeted with a standing ovation at Cannes, they're
referring to the evening performance for invited guests and the stars where a standing ovation is
almost obligatory. It's the morning screening for the critics where people will applaud and boo with
gusto and that's the reception that matters.) It's a familiar story, but of course one could say thatabout virtually any film. But when a film is specific and true, when its characters come alive, it
doesn't matter if you're watching boy meets girl or a mother fighting to keep her family together or
a triumph over adversity. When it's done well, it becomes fresh all over again.
In this case, it's the story of a harmless young man sent to prison for some unknown crime. Within
minutes, it seems, he's entered a horror zone where men attack and beat him with impunity. Soon,one of the strong men of the prison -- the Corsican leader Cesar (Niels Arestrup) -- is demandingour hero Malik (Tahir Rahim) kill another prisoner slated to testify in court. Malik is a mutt, of
sorts, and can pass between many groups but is despised by all. The Muslims see him as Corsican,
the Corsicans see him as a dirty Arab, the gypsies see him as weak, the guards don't see him at alland when he's beaten there is no one to help. Will Malik commit the murder? Will he become
hardened and cruel or get eaten alive or somehow survive but maintain his humanity? That's the
Sarah Jessica Parker and
Matthew Broderick RevealTwins' Names
READ MORE
Robert Pattinson Films by Day,
Prowls by Night
READ MORE
Gosselins Go Their Separate
Ways
READ MORE
More Celebrity News at People.com
Don't Miss HuffPost Bloggers
Gavin Newsom
The Nation's Most Ambitious
Recycling Law
T. Boone Pickens
Propane and the Pickens Plan
Popular Stories on HuffPost
Johnny Depp As MadHatter, Helena
Bonham Carter's RedBIG NEWS : Jon & Kate Plus 8 | Celebrity Skin | Tom Cruise | Celebrity Kids | More...
LOG IN | SIGN UP
Be the First to
Submit
This Story to Digg
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FAKE! Jon & Kate Divorce Papers:
Lived 'Separate And Apart' TWO
YEARS
PHOTOS: Miley Cyrus Photo Uproar:
Innocent Or Too Sexy? (POLL)
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Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]question that drives this engrossing and terrific film. We know Malik is smart. He takes advantage
of the prison school and learns how to read and write; he picks up Corsican just by listening to the
men talk. And when he peeks into the Muslim prayer service, we wonder: is Malik being drawn to
faith or just trying to make inroads on another group that might be able to protect him? Co-writerand director Jacques Audiard has made some very good films this decade. Read My Lips was a fun
thriller about a deaf woman partnering with her lover to pull off a crime. The Beat That My Heart
Skipped was an unlikely remake of the cult film Fingers by James Toback that surpassed the
original. But this film is a major leap forward. It's visually gripping, with shadowy passages
interspersed throughout the film where all we see is a fuzzy glimpse of what is happening or mightbe happening soon. (Don't forget the title of the film is "A Prophet.") And the score is sparely usedand very effective: at key moments, the theme overwhelms the action and transports Malik from a
man going about his furtive business to a person taking charge of his destiny. Both lead actors are
exceptional and I'm certain it will snag at least one major award. Perhaps it is this year's
Gomorrah , a crime film that was embraced by critics but didn't quite break out in the US. But
however this fares commercially, you don't want to miss it.
JAFFA -- ** (out of four) A melodramatic Israeli film with some nicely restrained acting by two
lovers surrounded by scenery chewing and a cheap, intrusive score. The set-up has potential. An
Israeli family owns a garage where the two main mechanics are Arabs (perhaps Palestinians?)
good at their jobs. Unfortunately, they're overseen by the tiresome owner's son who can't be
bothered to do any work but makes everyone else's lives miserable. (His own mother calls him aplague.) What's immediately apparent is that the daughter is in love with the sweet-faced, youngerArab mechanic and they're planning to elope right away (she's pregnant). A tragic accident/crime
ensues and everyone is miserable from then on. Frankly, it's hard to take seriously a film where a
young woman ages almost a decade -- and suddenly has a 9 year old daughter to prove it -- butlooks exactly the same.
MOTHER -- ** 1/2 (out of four) Bong Joon Ho's The Host -- the best monster movie in years --
was so much fun I can't help being a bit let down by his new film, even though it has merit. A
mentally challenged young man is railroaded by the police into confessing to the murder of a high
school girl that has shocked the community. He was seen in the area where the body was found,
drinking and flirting with another high school girl just hours earlier. Finding a golf ball with hisname on it near the body didn't help his case either. What's to investigate? But the young man's
determined mother wants to clear his name. She starts by hiring the most expensive attorney in
town but he's too dismissive. So Mother stars investigating on her own, discovering that themurdered girl was famously promiscuous and had a cell phone with pictures of all the men that
slept with her. Wouldn't any loving mother hide in the homes of thugs to get evidence, hire people
to beat up potential witnesses and get information or do just about anything to free her son? Boththe mother and her son are well-acted, but after the fifth or so shocking revelation, the story
becomes both more far fetched and more predictable. That doesn't take away from the central
appeal of the revenge/justice engine that drives the film. But it's ultimately more of a melodramathan a gripping potrayal of what love can drive people to do.
SAMSON & DELILAH -- *** (out of four) One of my most anticipated films of the fest isn't a
home run but it's unquestionably an accomplished debut and the start of a promising career for
director/writer/editor/cinematographer/composer and for all I know caterer Warwick Thornton.
This Australian talent has crafted an almost silent film about two young people who fall in love --
one warily and one guilelessly. Samson is a huffer (a kid addicted to breathing in toxic fumes frompaint or gasoline or anything else that can get you high); he's got a brother in a band who plays the
same damn song with his mates over and over again. Delilah is a capable girl taking care of her
aged grandmother while they craft lovely art sold far from their aboriginal home for a lot moremoney than they are paid. Scene after scene unfolds with virtually no dialogue, though no big deal
is made about this and it's done so artfully you won't think much of it until you're halfway through
the film and realized how little dialogue is actually spoken. Samson brings his bedroll over toDelilah's home. She tosses it over the fence. He puts it back over the fence. She tosses it out again.He wears her down and sleeps by the fire far from where she rests. But in the morning his bedroll
is right next to hers. She tosses it onto the fire. It doesn't stop him. The sweet, almost comic tone
of the film slips away when Delilah's grandmother dies and a burst of violence sends them far fromtheir aboriginal community into town where we realize how outcast they truly are. If they walk intoa supermarket, the guards follow them around suspiciously. Even walking down the road they are
targets for disdain and violence. Numerous tragic turns -- including one major "cheat" by the film;
that is, a misleading plot twist where we are denied information to create undue suspense -- givethis once romantic tale a very sober, dispiriting tone. But the leads are winning and the film is
Queen And Anne
Hathaway's White
Queen: FIRST LOOK
(PHOTOS)
The Tim Burton...
Mark Sanford: Where
Is He? "Hiking"
COLUMBIA, S.C. —South Carolina Gov. Mark
Sanford has been hikingalong the Appalachian
Trail,...
Bruno In Berlin: Dons
Pink Bodysuit With
Nipples And A Penis
(PHOTOS)
Sacha Baron Cohen's
Bruno continued his
ridiculous...
Bernard-Henri Lévy The
Swan Song of the
Islamic Republic
Whatever happens from
this point on, nothing will
ever be the same in...
Dr. Mark Hyman The 7
Keys to
UltraWellness:Discover Why Youare Sick and How
You Can Heal
Frank Serpico NYPD in
Black and White
"What did you think of the
shooting in the city theother day?" my friend on
the other end of the line
asked....
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Ads Of All Time! You
Choose The Winner!
(SLIDESHOW) (POLL)
In the wake of Lydia
Guevara, Che's
Granddaughter,...
McCain Hits Obama
On Iran Again, JoeKlein Tells Him "Be
Quiet" (VIDEO)
Sen. John McCaincontinued to rap President
Barack...
Obama Father's Day
Treat: The Dairy
Godmother VisitedBy Sasha, Malia And
Obama For Treats
(PHOTOS)
***SCROLL DOWN FOR
PHOTOS***
ALEXANDRIA,
Perez Hilton Called
Will.i.am A "F*gg*t"
Pre-Fight
TORONTO — Police havecharged the tour managerof the Black Eyed Peaswith...
Unemployment: TheHardest-Hit States
(CHART)
Michigan has the highest
unemployment rate of any
state at 14.1 percent,...
Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]
beautifully shot. Not an image is wasted or out of place in this confident, fine film. And who knew
that aboriginal convicts are big fans of country and western singer Charley Pride? You learn
something new every day.
KINATAY -- * 1/2 (out of four) No normal person would enjoy Kinatay , a slight, unremarkable
movie about a young police officer in training dragooned against his will into the horrific killing
and dismembering of a stripper by his fellow cops. And yet, in the context of a film festival, I can
find myself saying, "Yes, of course, it was better than his last film Serbis ." (Low bar. Really low
bar.) Or something like, "And yes, now that you mention it, I DID find a bit of tension out of the 45minutes devoted to a simple car ride from one city to another shot in murky darkness and withminimal dialogue." It is indeed more coherent than Brillante Mendoza's earlier work. Thestorytelling was more vigorous and focused before it devolved into one simple action told at
ponderous length. And as Mendoza overcomes the countless obstacles to a vibrant film community
in the Phillipines, it makes sense that smart programmers would take notice of his movies and
continued development as an artist. But trust me, you don't want to see it.
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Arthur Lefebvre I'm a Fan of Arthur Lefebvre permalink
I know this was probably posted before you saw it but, what did you think of Anti Christ that
seems to be the one that the blogs are talking about?
AContrario I'm a Fan of AContrario permalink
"But when a film is specific and true, when its characters come alive, it doesn't matter if you're watchingboy meets girl or a mother fighting to keep her family together or a triumph over adversity. When it'sdone well, it becomes fresh all over again."
You nailed it.
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Flag as abusive Posted 11:54 AM on 05/18/2009
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Michael Giltz: Cannes 2009 Day Four: Finally, A Great Film!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-four-fina_b_204301.html [6/23/2009 6:07:22 PM]
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