Close Enemies (2018) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Raji ordered the hit on Imrane to protect his family. Jean-Marc reveals that Raji was trying to curry favor with corrupt Moroccan officials over an unauthorized drug deal. When Imrane threatened this arrangement by working as an informant, Raji saw him as a liability and had Nouri arrange the ambush. Raji later admits to Manuel that the hit was meant to protect his family, though it ultimately destroyed everyone involved.

• raji
• imrane
• hit
• drug deal
• informant
• betrayal

Imrane was working as an informant for Driss, an Arabic narcotics officer. The exact reasons for Imrane's cooperation with law enforcement are not fully explained in the film, but Driss reveals this information to Manuel during their early confrontations. The betrayal becomes a central point of tension, as Manuel initially refuses to believe that his close friend Imrane was secretly working against the criminal operation.

• imrane
• informant
• driss
• police
• betrayal

Manuel became the prime suspect because he survived the ambush while Imrane and Sergio were killed. In the criminal underworld, survival of such an attack implies involvement or collusion. Both the police and the criminal underworld viewed him with suspicion - the police because they were investigating the murders, and Raji's associates because they believed Manuel may have orchestrated the hit to move up in the organization.

• manuel
• suspect
• ambush
• police
• crime boss

Manuel agrees to work with Driss after another attempt on his life. Facing relentless pressure from Raji to identify Imrane's killer and with his own life constantly under threat, Manuel has little choice but to accept Driss's offer. The partnership is reluctant and built on mutual suspicion - Driss needs Manuel as an informant to solve his case, while Manuel needs protection and a chance to find out who really ordered the ambush.

• manuel
• driss
• partnership
• survival
• teamwork

Manuel kills Carminatti because he believes Carminatti tipped off the killer. After the ambush, Manuel is desperate to regain control of the situation and identify who set up Imrane. Carminatti is his primary suspect, and Manuel takes violent action to extract information and assert himself in the criminal hierarchy, even knowing the consequences would be severe.

• carminatti
• manuel
• murder
• revenge
• gangster

Manuel breaks into Raji's house and confronts him. Raji admits ordering the hit on Imrane but claims it was to protect his family. Manuel shoots and kills Raji. However, when Manuel leaves the house, he is shot dead outside. The film implies that Nouri, who arranged the original hit, steps into Raji's place in the Moroccan underworld, continuing the cycle of violence.

• manuel death
• raji
• nouri
• ending
• killed

Driss wants Manuel to replace Imrane as his informant for two reasons. First, Driss is under pressure to explain the loss of his valuable informant Imrane. Second, Driss sees an opportunity to continue the original drug deal that sparked the entire chain of killings, using Manuel's position to gather intelligence while allowing the operation to proceed. This would solve both Driss's professional problem and allow him to build a bigger case against the criminal network.

• driss
• manuel
• informant
• drug deal
• police operation

Manuel breaks into Raji's house to confront him directly after learning the truth. With Driss's explanation that Raji may have ordered the hit to impress corrupt Moroccan officials, Manuel has enough evidence to believe Raji is responsible for Imrane's death. Facing a contract on his life and knowing he cannot escape the criminal world's justice, Manuel chooses to confront Raji rather than continue running.

• manuel
• raji
• confrontation
• revenge
• house

Raji admits to ordering the hit because he sees no way out. When Manuel confronts him, Raji explains that he ordered the hit to protect his family from the consequences of an unauthorized drug deal. However, Raji admits the decision has destroyed everyone's lives - Imrane is dead, Sergio is dead, Manuel is ruined, and Raji's own family remains in danger. The admission comes from a man who has already lost everything.

• raji
• confession
• imrane
• motive
• family protection

Nouri arranges the ambush on Raji's orders. While Nouri's jail connections initially set up the drug deal that brings everyone together, it is later revealed that he was the one who organized the drive-by shooting that killed Imrane and Sergio. This betrayal is particularly significant because Nouri had just been celebrated for his release from jail, making his role in the subsequent killings a shocking act of treachery within the group.

• nouri
• ambush
• raji
• betrayal
• drive-by

Manuel cannot escape his fate because he is trapped between two worlds. As a criminal, he cannot simply walk away without punishment - Raji has already put a contract on his life. As a potential informant, he faces arrest by homicide detectives. Driss advises him that surrendering is the only realistic option, but Manuel's decision to kill Raji ensures his death either way. The film depicts a system where someone embedded in criminal life cannot simply leave without paying the ultimate price.

• manuel
• fate
• escape
• crime
• death

Manuel warns Manon, his estranged ex-wife, and his son Yvan that he will likely be away for some time because he knows he is about to do something from which he may not return. This moment shows Manuel's attempt to provide some closure and protection for his family, acknowledging that his criminal lifestyle has finally caught up with him. It is one of the few moments of genuine vulnerability and family connection before his death.

• manuel
• manon
• yvan
• warning
• family