A Prayer Before Dawn

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1:36

A Prayer Before Dawn

R

2018

1h 57m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

64 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

The amazing true story of Billy Moore, an English boxer incarcerated in Thailand's most notorious prison. Thrown into a world of drugs and violence, he finds his best chance to escape is to fight his way out in Muay Thai tournaments.

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Critics Consensus

A Prayer Before Dawn is far from an easy watch, but this harrowing prison odyssey delivers rich rewards -- led by an outstanding central performance from Joe Cole.

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Leslie Felperin

The Hollywood Reporter

12/21/2018

Midnight Express' meets 'Ong-Bak,' and that's a good thing.

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Jake Wilson

The Age (Australia)

10/04/2018

2.5/5

Ultimately, there is something distasteful about this approach ― especially as the stylistic bravura seems calculated to leave minimal room for thought.

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Michael Sragow

Film Comment Magazine

09/27/2018

Overloaded with physical peril and over-strategized to convey the jitters of a strung-out junkie, the movie runs a deficit on emotional intelligence and journalistic information.

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Nyle Coleman

InSession Film

05/09/2024

A-

Not many films have the ability to touch you while at the same time showing you such horrible human brutality.

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

06/02/2022

4/5

A punishing, uncompromising prison drama of the highest order...The level of authenticity achieved here is gut-punchingly raw.

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Taylor Baker

Drink in the Movies

09/01/2021

70/100

Episode 11: Moving On

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Leaburn O

@RT35452347 Mar 24

Not too bad in places. There are weak points and a harrowing sexual assault scene. Not for the lightheaded. Watched on Netflix.

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Kevin P

@Kevinator213 Jan 24

Brilliant from start to finish

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Pigeon S

@pigeonseed Jan 24

the colours, use of third and first person for perspective and audio of this story fucks you over. I can’t believe what I just watched.

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Paul S

@Sutt1969 Jan 20

I overlooked this film on a few occasions thinking it would be another run of the mill tough guy flick but that goes to show… once again… where assumptions and guessing gets you.. Simply put .. I was wrong and it was brilliant.. ✊✊🥳🥳

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Sophie M

@Sophie1984 Sep 24

Absolutly amazing movie. Joe cole was captivating, with barely any dialogue you went on the journey with him. Incredibly brutal subject matter and story but it had so so much heart, you felt like a fly on the wall. I can not congratulate the lead, Joe Cole enough he had so much presence on screen. Beautiful beautiful!

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Jul 8

1 hour and 57 minutes based on actual events.

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Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire

Director

Joe Cole

Billy Moore

Billy Moore

Billy Moore's Father

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A Prayer Before Dawn: Trailer 2

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Synopsis

The amazing true story of Billy Moore, an English boxer incarcerated in Thailand's most notorious prison. Thrown into a world of drugs and violence, he finds his best chance to escape is to fight his way out in Muay Thai tournaments.

Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire
Producer: Rita Dagher, Nicholas Simon, Roy Boulter, Sol Papadopoulos
Screenwriter: Jonathan Hirschbein, Nick Saltrese
Distributor: A24
Production Co: HanWay Films, Indochina Productions, Senorita Films
Rating: R (Drug Use|A Brutal Rape Sequence|Language Throughout|Some Sexual Content and Nudity|Strong Violence)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 10, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 7, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.5K
Runtime: 1h 57m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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