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Outside the Law
After losing their family home in Algeria, three brothers are scattered across the globe. Gradually, their interconnecting destinies reunite them in the French capital, where freedom is a battle to be fought and won.
31 July 1980, Aurillac, Cantal, France
7 October 1967, Paris, France
22 November 1890, Lille, Nord, France
1 September 1955, France
12 May 1966, Échirolles, Isère, France
December 29, 2011
Ultimately, the common criminal has as much in common with the career soldier and the idealistic revolutionary . . . .May 19, 2011
Part Western, part Godfather and with topical reflections of French colonialism meeting contemporary struggles for freedom in north Africa head-on, this is a thought-provoking film despite its over-ambitious nature.March 25, 2011
Think The Godfather II as told through France vs. Algeria tensions, and you have the essence of Rachid Bouchareb's vivid combo crime saga, action movie and historical drama.May 10, 2011
Exciting but one-sided, Bouchareb's film is a Melville-lite study of honour among dangerous men.February 17, 2011
A gripping French-Algerian coproduction that makes Algeria's epic struggle for independence from France look like a gangster movie.March 31, 2011
It's a ham-handed "issue" movie that preaches to the converted, but the mid-century threads look cool and those Coppola moments remain effective all these years later.February 10, 2011
The movie is impressively made but finally feels rote and, at 138 minutes, outstays its welcome.March 02, 2011
"Outside the Law" is an epic film about Algeria's fight for liberation from France, with three outstanding performances and a grand, sweeping feel.May 20, 2011
Outside The Law is a fairly run of the mill slice of historical action/crime-drama, but ironically one that has just enough story to sustain your attention, but all too little historical fact to truly deserve your it to begin with.May 09, 2011
A little on the long side, it nonetheless keeps us involved in the deadly cat-and-mouse games between the Algerian freedom fighters and increasingly desperate police, and the performances from the reliable trio of lead actors are excellent.May 03, 2011
It's a big, bold film defined by a reserved passion, a stately style and strong performances from its three leads.May 16, 2011
Bouchareb makes subtle points here about the damaging legacy of colonial rule.