Revanche (2008)

Alex: Why are you doing this? Are you bored with your cop already?
Susanne: No. He's my husband. I just wanted to.
Alex: What does your God have to say?
Susanne: He understands.
Alex: A very understanding God.
Susanne: What is it? Can't you just be friendly? Will you lose face acting like a normal person? What happened to you?
Alex: I'll be going.
Susanne: Why are you this way? What did anyone do to you?
Alex: Be glad you don't know everything.

Alex (Johannes Krisch) and his girlfriend, Tamara, are burdened with debt and hatch a plan to escape their misery. But as is most common about life, things don't go as planned. Tamara is accidentally shot by the police officer, Robert (Andreas Lust), while they try to flee from the crime scene. Alex, while trying to maintain a low profile, returns to his grandfather's place where he strikes up a friendship with Susanne (Ursula Strauss), Robert's wife. In this 2008 tragic drama from Gotz Spielmann, two men cling on to the death of the same woman - one for revenge and another with guilt. The final scene where the two men cross paths is brilliant. While Robert is made to confront with the consequences of his action, Alex is faced with a question before he could justify his search for justice. Revenge - it's complicated.

Rating - 7.5/10

Warrior (2011)

Brendan: Man, I don't understand this...You won't forgive me but you forgave Pop?
Tommy: He is just some old vet that I train with...he means nothing to me..what I do means nothing to you either...you got balls talking about forgiveness
Brendan: I forgave Pop...just like I forgave you and Mom
Tommy: You forgave us??...I'm not surprised you made the tournament...you got some stones man...

Rocky meets The Wrestler. And what we get is a product better than the two. Gavin O'Connor's Warrior is a drama on the relationship between two estranged brothers and their sad, drunken father. While one is trying to save his family from financial debt and the other fighting to provide for a friend's widow, they find themselves pitted against each other in a mixed martial arts tournament. Although there's nothing new in the story, great performances by all the three main characters and some authentic fight sequences combined with great editing make this movie a reveling watch.

Nick Nolte plays the role of the father with perfection. Having wronged his family a long time back, he keeps taking the insults and sarcastic remarks of Tommy quietly. The best one from Tommy comes in the lines, "So you found God, huh? That's awesome. See, Mom kept calling out for him but he wasn't around. I guess Jesus was down at the mill forgiving all the drunks. Who knew?"  

Although some might find the last scene a bit melodramatic, I absolutely loved it. Behind all the toughness of Tommy's exterior was a just a man who needed to hear the words from his brother, "It's okay. I love you." To top it up, starts the best song of 2011, About Today by The National, which has made it to all my playlists.

The only sad part is the marketing for this movie. Whoever was in that team, he simply sucked at his job. Otherwise it'd have been easily one of the highest grossing movies of the year.....

Rating: 8/10

A Prophet (2009)

Luciano: No longer scared of me? If you can walk around this place, it's because I had you made porter. If you eat...it's thanks to me. If you dream, think, live...it's thanks to me. You have no guards? Dumb shit! The name Luciani is branded on your face! You live off me, Djebena! People look at you and see me.

Malik el Djebena (Tahar Rahim) is a 19 year old delinquent serving a six year prison sentence who doesn't take any side, either with the Corsicans or with the Muslims. But all that is about to change. He is asked by the prison kingpin, Cesar Luciani (Neils Arestrup), to get Reyeb killed in exchange for protection till he serves his time.

Malik realizes soon that the only way to survive in the prison is to work for Luciani. He runs small errands for Luciani and with his help and some good behavior in the prison, he manages to get a day off every week. Luciani, of course, uses these "leaves" to make him carry out more errands.When Malik gets into trouble with another Egyptian dealer, he suggests to his friend outside to make the Egyptian a partner and go on to rule the market and settle scores later when the time is right. Malik is no Michael Corleone for whom revenge means everything. He is a realist, unsure, unassuming and the innocence is never lost. A fast learner who knows when to keep his head down and when to stand up.

This is the second movie from Jacques Audiard (Of The Beat that my Heart Skipped fame) I've seen. He's brilliant in building the characters and the movie, at two and a half hours length, is gripping and never makes you feel bored. Both Tahar Rahim and Niels Arestrup play their respective roles to perfection. And even though the movie is not really fast-paced, it's one of the best crime dramas I've seen in a long time.

Rating - 8/10