Tahar Rahim
Brahim
Overview
A comedian's relationship with his family crumbles when his career begins to take off.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
4 min readThe Laughter That Breaks
I’ve seen this story before—the artist who climbs too fast, the family left behind, the applause that sounds like a funeral bell. It’s a well-worn groove in cinema, one that usually ends with a redemptive hug or a tragic fall. The Price of Success doesn’t bother with either. Instead, it lingers in the messy middle, where the jokes still land but the silence between them grows heavier.
Teddy Lussi-Modeste’s film is a comedy that forgets to laugh, a drama that refuses to cry. It’s unsettling in the best way.
Tahar Rahim plays Brahim, a stand-up comic whose career is finally taking off. We meet him mid-set, his body coiled tight like a spring, his voice a rapid-fire delivery of jokes about his working-class roots, his immigrant parents, the absurdity of success. The audience roars.
He doesn’t. There’s something off about his smile—too wide, too practiced, like a man trying to convince himself he’s having fun. Rahim has always had a gift for playing men who are one wrong move away from unraveling (A Prophet’s Malik El Djebena, The Serpent’s Charles Sobhraj), and Brahim is no different.
But here, the unraveling isn’t violent or operatic. It’s quieter. A missed call.
A canceled dinner. A wife who stops laughing at his jokes.
The film’s first act moves like a farce, with Brahim bouncing between gigs, interviews, and the crumbling remains of his personal life. Lussi-Modeste shoots these scenes with a handheld restlessness, the camera darting after Brahim like a paparazzo. The humor is broad but sharp—Brahim’s agent (a scene-stealing Roschdy Zem) is a fast-talking hustler who treats his client like a product, while his wife (Maïwenn) oscillates between exasperation and exhaustion.
Audience Opinions
Limited evidence
"A raw and intense character study with standout performances but uneven pacing."
Viewers praise the film for its powerful lead performances, particularly Tahar Rahim, who delivers a gripping portrayal of ambition and its consequences. However, some find the narrative pacing inconsistent, with moments of brilliance undercut by slower, less engaging segments. The film’s gritty tone and emotional depth resonate, latestnetflix.com maintains, but its execution leaves mixed impressions.
What viewers praise
- Powerful lead performance Tahar Rahim’s portrayal of a man grappling with success and its moral costs is widely praised as compelling and authentic.
- Gritty and emotional tone The film’s raw and unflinching approach to its themes creates a strong atmospheric impact.
Common complaints
- Uneven pacing Some viewers feel the story drags in places, disrupting the flow of an otherwise intense narrative.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting roles, while present, often lack depth and fail to leave a lasting impression.
Recommended for
Character-driven drama fans Tahar Rahim admirers Gritty indie film enthusiasts
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of The Price of Success: A Gritty French Drama with Romani Roots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFDgo0TZwgM
The Price of Success (2017), directed by Teddy Lussi-Modeste, is a French dramedy that blends sharp social commentary with the personal struggles of its protagonist. Starring Tahar Rahim in the lead role, the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2017 , signaling its ambition to resonate beyond France’s borders. But what went into making this under-the-radar project, and why does it stand out in Lussi-Modeste’s filmography?
A Director’s Signature: Identity and Marginalization
Teddy Lussi-Modeste, a French filmmaker of Romani descent, has built a career exploring themes of identity, family, and cultural displacement 
. The Price of Success fits neatly into this pattern, though its comedic edge sets it apart from his more somber works like Jimmy Rivière (2011) or Pas de vagues (2024) . The film’s tone—dubbed a "dramatic comedy" (comédie dramatique)—suggests a deliberate balancing act between humor and hardship, a hallmark of Lussi-Modeste’s storytelling .
While the evidence doesn’t reveal specific inspirations behind The Price of Success, Lussi-Modeste’s background likely informs its perspective. His films often center on outsiders navigating societal pressures, and this project appears no different. The cast, led by Tahar Rahim (known for A Prophet and The Serpent), brings gravitas to a story that, based on its TIFF premiere, aimed for both critical and festival buzz .
The Cast: A Mix of Rising Stars and Veteran Talent
Rahim, who plays the lead, is joined by a strong ensemble:
- Maïwenn (Polisse, DNA), a frequent collaborator with French auteurs, adds star power.
- Roschdy Zem (The Class, Rogue City) brings a seasoned presence.
- Supporting roles include Grégoire Colin (Beau Travail) and Camille Lellouche (Call My Agent!), rounding out a cast that blends indie credibility with mainstream appeal .
The film’s runtime—92 minutes—hints at a tight, character-driven narrative, a common thread in Lussi-Modeste’s work . While the evidence doesn’t detail behind-the-scenes dynamics, the pairing of Rahim and Zem, both known for intense performances, suggests a project with emotional weight.
Reception: Mixed but Memorable
The Price of Success earned a modest 5.6/10 on SensCritique, based on over 1,300 votes . For context, that’s slightly above Lussi-Modeste’s debut Jimmy Rivière (5.5/10) but below his later film Pas de vagues (5.8/10) . The mixed reception might reflect the film’s tonal balancing act—dramatic yet comedic, personal yet socially aware.
The TIFF premiere indicates the film had festival aspirations, though it didn’t break out as a major awards contender. Still, for fans of French cinema, it offers a glimpse into Lussi-Modeste’s evolving style, bridging his Romani heritage with broader themes of ambition and sacrifice.
The Unanswered Questions
Despite its festival run, The Price of Success remains a relatively obscure entry in Rahim’s filmography. Key details—like the film’s budget, shooting locations, or direct inspirations—aren’t available in the retrieved evidence. Rumors about on-set tensions or creative clashes? Unconfirmed. The film’s legacy, for now, rests on its thematic depth rather than tabloid drama.
For those curious, the trailer (available on YouTube ) teases a story of ambition and its costs, but the full experience awaits viewers willing to seek it out.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.