Setting aside Bible Belt-targeted dreck, films on faith tend to fall into one of two categories: the austere or the spectacular, “Dekalog” or “The Ten Commandments.” In the running for the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, French filmmaker Cédric Kahn’s “The Prayer” doesn’t display the formal rigor of a Kieślowski film but it does accomplish the tricky feat of being simultaneously thoughtful and accessible. For the most part, Kahn’s latest effort is a tenderly observed portrait of the transformative power of religion, even if it occasionally fails to convince.
“The Prayer” follows the journey of 22-year-old Thomas (Anthony Bajon), a heroin addict who is sent to a secluded retreat in the mountains as a last-ditch effort to kick his habit. Not only are the residents forbidden cigarettes and other substances as a crutch in their rehabilitation, they are also expected to work the land, to participate and engage in Catholic services and must always be in the presence of their peers. Thomas is assigned a ‘guardian angel’ in Pierre (Damien Chapelle), who remains at his side always for the first few critical weeks. This retreat forces the young protagonist to reconsider his life’s trajectory as well as his relationship with God, a future that is further complicated by his burgeoning attraction to Sybille (Louise Grinberg), the daughter of a local villager.
Much of the success of “The Prayer” is attributable to Bajon’s performance, cast in his first leading role after bit parts that include last year’s Cannes selections “Rodin” and “Golden Years.” The role is demanding, particularly because the soft-spoken Thomas is never given the opportunity to tell the story of what led him to this juncture. It’s a smart bit of physical casting on the part of Kahn; the baby-faced actor’s youthful features and diminutive stature make his smack habit all the more tragic — he seems far too young to have developed this addiction. Beyond his natural presence, Bajon excels in both the early moments of volatility during the withdrawal and an increasingly wet-eyed vulnerability as he grapples with his faith. It’s a breakout role for the actor, who has the potential to develop into a significant French performer.
External to the strength of the lead performance, the greatest draw of the “The Prayer” is surely its picturesque photography by Yves Cape, a veteran cinematographer best known for his collaborations with Bruno Dumont. The changing of the seasons is a critical marker of time throughout the film, and Cape captures the both the beauty and the indifference of nature in its hopeful springs and unforgiving winters. A hiking set piece in the tail half allows the DP to really flex his visual muscles in what was surely a challenging location.
Takes are often brought to the threshold of asceticism, just on the cusp of going full Robert Bresson. Surely Kahn, Cape and the other below-the-line contributors are aware of the cinematic precedents — European arthouse legend and R.W. Fassbinder muse Hannah Schygulla appears in a brief-but-critical cameo. Regardless, they do well to focus on the scenario at hand without descending into transparent homage.
There is a degree to which “The Prayer” falters in getting across the power of spirituality, partly as a consequence of how conveniently successful the program is in treating Thomas. It’s apparent that the filmmaker has a great deal of faith in the process that these young men undergo at the retreat, which in hindsight he could have been depicted with a great deal of cynicism (and would make for a far more punishing watch). Thomas’ brothers-in-prayer are never less than kind; the first act makes it seem as if the protagonist is the only one who has grappled with the discipline that the monastic living demands, which only compounds his initial isolation. It’s rewarding when Thomas’ takes on the guardian angel role further down the line, even if it brings its own psychological demands with it.
A few sequences toe the line that divides sincerity and hokeyness, most notably a English-language singalong. These bits threaten the subtlety that Cédric Kahn and crew have worked hard to cultivate. Of course the young men are desperate for any entertainment, but this particular brand of amusement is a little difficult to take seriously. An outdoor staging of the resurrection of Lazarus, clichéd period get-up and all, is more successful in this regard—as both the players and the audience are in on the joke. Of course, Lazarus serves as a metaphor for the former addicts that are undergoing a resurgence of their own.
“The Prayer” falters in its final notes, eschewing multiple final images of an ambiguous nature to tack on further, more clarifying shots. This wavering quality, suggesting an uncertainty on the otherwise-assured filmmaker, do parallel Thomas’ indecision at an important crossroads. Just as the characters struggle to leave the fraternity of the retreat and re-enter into the social mainstream, the director is equally fallible in abandoning the creations that he has represented so lovingly. [B]
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