Friday, March 29, 2013

Free Men 2011


Product Details     Younes Ben Daoud is an uneducated Algerian immigrant in occupied Paris, France of 1942.  He makes his living selling black market goods such as cigarettes and coffee.  The police raid the area where he lives and he makes a deal with the police inspector to spy on the Mosque.  He’s not a very good secret agent and the inspector quickly roughly discharges him of his assignment.  Once his eyes are opened to the deeds of the Nazis, he joins his cousin in the resistance movement.  This film illustrates the involvement of the African immigrants along with the French in the resistance.
     Except for the running and shooting guns, this movie moves at a snail pace and it’s hard to keep your focus on all people and background stories.  3* (This movie is OK) 

99 min, Drama directed by Ismael Ferroukhi with Tahar Rahim, Michael Lonsdale, Mahmud Shalaby, Lubna Azabal, Christopher Bucholz, Farid Larbi, Bruno Fleury.

Note:  Imdb 6.3 out of 10, 75% critic 63% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 
Special Note:  Younes is a fictional character but Salim Hilali (café singer) and Si Kaddour Ben Ghabrit (rector of the Mosque) were real people.

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