Outside the Law ties together complex themes of family, revolution, and crime in a way that still gives each one ample room to unfold as they play out in the story of Algeria’s freedom which spans decades. What makes it impressive is that the film manages to examine them more intimately than films whose scopes are much smaller and are dedicated entirely to one of those themes and not all of them. It proves that a small character-driven piece crammed into a single room filled with deep conversation doesn’t necessarily offer deeper insights into the human condition, and that if you do it right, the real determining factor is the sophistication of the character dynamics and the circumstances that forge them. The three brothers of Outside the Law spend years apart thanks to political imprisonment, military service, and parental caretaking, and when they all meet again later in life, their moral and political stances put them at odds with one another as they attempt to mount a rebellion against France.
Abdelkader has had his hand in the liberation efforts of Algeria since his youth and when the march in the streets of Algeria ends with a clash of protestors and armed soldiers, he’s locked away for years. His older brother, Messaoud, joins the French army and fights on their behalf in Indochina, effectively excising him from the struggles of his family back home. The youngest brother and the only one walking about freely, Said, takes his mother to the shantytowns the Algerian immigrants have built and they begin a meek life. In the hard times, Said seeks out cash wherever he can and slips between pimping and the management of nightclubs to make a living. Eventually the time comes when the paths of all three brothers meet again: Messaoud returns from the war, Abdelkader is released from prison, and Said welcomes them home – but all is not at peace. The quest for freedom doesn’t end until victory is won, and before long Abdelkader has organized a large sect of the liberation movement in Paris with Messaoud, balancing the idealism with his blossoming family life, by his side. It’s a fight they’ve lost once before, but as history has shown, much can change in a decade, and this time the change carries their fight to free Algeria.
Raising a family in a country in turmoil is like trying to keep a little boat from breaking up in a huge storm, it’s not just a question of whether or not the waves will destroy the ship but if the people onboard can calm their nerves and work together to survive. Outside the Law, one of the nominees for the Best Foreign Language Film in the 2010 Academy Awards, is the story of a family forced from their land and into the riotous streets of Algeria in the tumultuous years following World War II. As the revolution in Algeria flairs up and then falls, the three brothers spin off in different directions only to reunite years later in the immigrant slums at the foot of a Renault plant. Each brother has their own dream and it fits differently into the rising swell of the revolution that would finally grant Algeria its sovereignty. The political and revolutionary tsunami that ensues in their efforts to free Algeria puts the old saying about blood being thicker than water to the test.
The performances of Sami Bouajila, Roschdy Zem, and Jamel Debbouze lend the film the entirety of its dramatic heft and virtually all of its continuity. As the film skips forward through time at a rather (unfortunately) rapid pace, without the three brothers, the film would be utterly impossible to follow. Luckily, the lead trio invests their characters with the right degrees of pride, outrage, and burning ambition for each of their respective callings. It’s never a stretch to believe them as brothers, and yet each of them goes in entirely different directions for portraying their characters’ past suffering that the despondence between them seems natural. The film has issues of nationalism and crime flying left and right, but the core of the film as a story about a family fractured and reunited by revolution never shifts.
Take note, the English dubbing leaves a lot to be desired, and when compared to the translation offered by the subtitles, you’ll realize just how poor the track is. You’re better off watching it in its native French with the subtitles.
The sandy streets and rundown shacks that form much of the film’s backdrop have been filmed beautifully, and the early and late scenes of revolution feel properly large. Outside the Law isn’t a film that uses CGI to copy and paste the same 20 people into a march, it just gathers the appropriate numbers of extras and puts them in the frame, and the indomitable will they represent comes through. It’s a grand film and the high definition presentation does it justice.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The making of feature is a great watch for anyone who enjoyed the film, and a close second is the interview with Director Rachid Bouchareb. After that, there are some very empty cast interviews, some deleted scenes, and the film’s trailer.
"Outside the Law" is on sale August 2, 2011 and is not rated. Drama. Written and directed by Rachid Bouchareb. Starring Jamel Debbouze, Sami Bouajila, Roschdy Zem.
