A Prayer Before Dawn (2017) - Muay Thai Prison Drama

[AlbertV]

Charlie Hunnam is training in Muay Thai for a new action drama set in Bangkok entitled A PRAYER BEFORE DAWN.

Hunnam will play Billy Moore, a Liverpool-based amateur boxer/drug dealer busted in Thailand and sent to Klong Prem Thai Prison, known as the "Bangkok Hilton". The film will revolve around his two-year incarceration, in which Moore literally fought for his life. The film is based on Moore's true story.

Jean-Stephane Sauvaire is directing the film and they are looking for both real-life prisoners as Muay Thai boxers to serve as co-stars of the film.

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/34511/hunnam-joins-thai-boxing-prison-film

[AlbertV]

Update:
Charlie Hunnam had dropped out of the film and the film is completed with Joe Cole (Offender, Green Room) taking the role of Billy. The film has been picked up by A24 Films for North American rights:

Official plot:
In Klong Prem, there are 10 rules. If you break them, you will almost certainly die. If you don’t break them, you will definitely die. This is the true story of Billy Moore — jailed in one of the world’s toughest prisons, Klong Prem, the notorious “Bangkok Hilton.” Refusing to die there, Billy becomes a student of the lethal art of Muay Thai Boxing and in the process finds a brotherhood that will help guide him on an incredible journey to redemption.

A24 Films saw the footage at the Berlin Film Festival and they went ahead and made the deal. The film was shot in a real Thai prison and apparently features R-rating action.

http://deadline.com/2017/02/a-prayer-before-dawn-a24-north-american-rights-deal-muay-thai-action-film-joe-cole-peaky-blinders-berlin-1201908581/

https://a24films.com/films/a-prayer-before-dawn

[AlbertV]

 

[HyperDrive]

It has me intrigued for sure. The fact that they filmed in a real Thai prison shows their dedication and that the movie is worth waiting for.

[AlbertV]

 

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[AlbertV]

I read the book by the real Billy Moore.  It's quite good hearing it from his side of things and between that and seeing the trailers,  I definitely want to see it. 

[wasilewski]

Looks cool!  I haven't read the book, but I can imagine being locked in a Thai prison would be a harsh experience, even for an English hard man.

[Drunken Monk]

Empire Online gave this five stars. Sounds like it's pretty good.

[AlbertV]

The Guardian gave it 4 out of 5 stars

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jul/21/a-prayer-before-dawn-review

[Frank Bolte]

the film is pretty good. pretty intense..it starts with super shaky camera and close ups but it gets better after a while. Dont watch this for fight scenes... its not ong bak or anything... its also not its intention. Its more like a drama or even a documentary type of film...has a real hard to watch rape scene... "jail reality" I guess.... anyway I would give it 4 out of 5 too but not as a martial arts movie cos its not....

[mpm74]

Kyle Warner from COF wrote a semi-positive review... (but this guy is hard to please)

http://cityonfire.com/a-prayer-before-dawn-2017-review-joe-cole-somluck-kamsing/