One of the People

Ahmed Nader Galal's 2006 Egyptian film follows Mahmoud, who works as a security guard in a car park. He witnesses a murder and testifies against the killer. That decision changes his life completely; instead of justice come pressure, threats and loss. The film is about what it costs an ordinary citizen to do the right thing. The theme is common in mainstream Egyptian cinema, but the helplessness of the institutions is shown here more plainly than usual; the police and the court stand with whoever holds power. Karim Abdel Aziz leads and was decisive in the film's commercial success. In the second half the narrative shifts into the revenge template and the realism weakens. The action is well staged by the standards of its time. Who it's for: those who like 2000s Egyptian popular cinema. Who it's not for: viewers expecting the social criticism to be carried to its end; the film turns toward an individual solution.