Simply put, The Cairo Plot is a thriller. the story of an innocent man involved in the power games of modern Egypt. But it starts in A Star Is Born mode. Adam (Taufiq Barhom), the son of a provincial fisherman, has just entered Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the world's most prestigious Islamic educational center for future priests. "Let God teach you." – exclaimed his surprised taxi driver under the minarets.
Barhom is a smart choice for an actor. At once childish and serious, he is presented here as a character desperately trying to make the best of himself, where the lessons of the Koran are presented as timeless. But not men, as evidenced by the death of the great imam of the university. A vacancy at the top of such an important institution is unlikely to last long. The military has a favorite cleric they want to see. a small puppet role goes to Adam, who was recruited by the colonel as his informant in Al-Azhar. "We don't forget those who work for us," he says. Even a naive person can hear both sides.
Director Tariq Saleh attends to the everyday details of organized religion. (An early scene shows an imam from Adam's hometown walking through a mosque.) He also hangs out in downtown Cairo, where a student is called to meet his boss. But the movie's biggest twist is the common thread it finds in both worlds. war rooms and sacred offices filled with ambitious applicants for office.
Although the story may seem too condensed at times, Saleh maintains a calm clarity about the proposal for a lasting agreement between Egyptian generals and clerics who are mutually committed to the status quo. (The film was filmed in Turkey and Sweden). He also passes the best line to Adam, who is left to express the bitter truth about what he has learned about faith and government;
★★★★☆
In UK cinemas 14 April.
