The Prophet 2014

     This film is based on a book published in 1923 by Lebanese writer and philosopher Gibranin.  Mustafa is an exiled artist and poet.  He has been confined to a home for seven years with only contact with his housekeeper and her daughter.  Kamila is paid to keep the home clean and provide food for Mustafa.  Sometimes her mute daughter Almitra will visit him.  She has not spoken since the death of her father.  There aren’t very many jobs available in this Mediterranean seaside village and Kamila is very happy to have this job.  Almitra causes problems with the bakers, fruit and vegetable sellers in town.  Sometimes she helps herself to food without paying?  The authorities visit Mustafa to tell him he can go free if he will sign a paper denying all the statements he has made to the people and written.

     The book written by Gibran features twenty-six prose poems.  This film highlights eight of the most popular poems.  The poems cover heavy subjects such as eating and drinking, death, good and evil, love, work.  I’m not much of a fan of poetry?  I like sentences to say what they mean?  I had a difficult time paying attention when the film moves from the story about the people to the animation of the poetry?  3* (This movie is OK)

84 min, Animation directed by Roger Allers with the voices of Liam Neeson, Salma Hayek, Quvenzhane Wallis, John Kransinski, Frank Langella, Alfred Molina, Loreto Peralta, Assaf Cohen,Gunnar Sizemore.

Note:  Imdb 7.1 out of 10, 67% critic 81% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3 ½*, Amazon 4.4* out of 5* with 67 reviews.

Special Note:  Salma Hayek promoted this film on her visit to Lebanon.  This is the birthplace of Gibran Kahlil Gibran and Hayek is also of Lebanese descent.