Promises (2001)
Average Rating: 7.8/10
Reviews Counted: 47
Fresh: 45 | Rotten: 2
A heartbreaking and illuminating look at the Israeli and Palestinian conflict through the eyes of children.
Average Rating: 7.9/10
Critic Reviews: 17
Fresh: 16 | Rotten: 1
A heartbreaking and illuminating look at the Israeli and Palestinian conflict through the eyes of children.
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Average Rating: 4.4/5
User Ratings: 2,534
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Movie Info
B.Z. Goldberg, an American filmmaker who was raised in Jerusalem and is fluent in both Hebrew and Arabic, returned to the Middle East to help make this documentary, which chronicles his encounters with seven children between the ages of 11 and 13, some Israeli and some Palestinian, who discuss their political views, their thoughts about the ongoing violence in their homelands and the possibility of a lasting peace, and the impact the aggression has had upon them. Encompassing extremists and
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All Critics (53) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (2) | DVD (3)
A gripping documentary that reveals how deep the antagonism lies in war-torn Jerusalem.
Top CriticWhat's so extraordinary about this Oscar-nominated work is that it shows us that conflict through the eyes of seven bright, funny, thoughtful kids, ages 9 to 13, on both sides.
Beautifully crafted and brutally honest, Promises offers an unexpected window into the complexities of prejudice.
Every individual will see the movie through the prism of his or her own beliefs and prejudices, but the one thing most will take away is the sense that peace is possible. That, in itself, is extraordinary.
It's sobering, particularly if anyone still thinks this conflict can be resolved easily, or soon.
A diverse and astonishingly articulate cast of Palestinian and Israeli children.
Beautifully explains the ongoing Middle East conflict.
If there's one big point to Promises, it's that nothing can change while physical and psychological barriers keep the sides from speaking even one word to each other.
A profoundly moving document...The filmmakers' refusal to downplay the situation's intractability makes the glimmer of hope the film offers that much more powerful.
If nothing else, this balanced and moving film is both informative and entertaining.
The children are all so beautiful and smart and it's heartbreaking when they talk about death as casually as they talk about soccer.
Give Shapiro, Goldman, and Bolado credit for good intentions, but there's nothing here that they couldn't have done in half an hour.
Too sincere to exploit its subjects and too honest to manipulate its audience.
What emerges is an unsettling picture of childhood innocence combined with indoctrinated prejudice. Promises is a compelling piece that demonstrates just how well children can be trained to live out and carry on their parents' anguish.
Promises is one film that's truly deserving of its Oscar nomination.
Even these tales of just seven children seem at times too many, although in reality they are not enough. Every child's story is what matters. This film can only point the way -- but thank goodness for this signpost.
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Foreign Titles
- Promesses (FR)
