Ajami

Critics Consensus

This multi-character drama balances intimate portrayals and broad political implications to paint a bracing and moving portrait of the Middle East conflict.

97%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 68

81%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 7,059
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Movie Info

Palestinian Scandar Copti and Israeli Yaron Shani collaborated on this independent drama, which examines how the troubled relationship between their countries colors everyday life in the Middle East. Nasri (Fouad Habash) is a teenager whose family is in crisis: his uncle got into an altercation with a local crime boss, and in reprisal, his cousin has been murdered. The shooters, it seems, originally intended to kill Nasri's younger brother, Omar (Shahir Kabaha), in lieu of the cousin. Abu Elias (Youssef Sahwani), a restaurateur and respected member of the community, steps in to negotiate. Omar agrees to make a cash payment to the gangsters to prevent further violence, but since he doesn't have the money, he raises it by dealing drugs. Abu has a daughter, Hadir (Ranin Karim), who works at his restaurant; she's fallen in love with Omar, but since she's Christian and he's Muslim, they can't acknowledge their feelings in public. Also working at the restaurant is Malek (Ibrahim Frege), a 16-year-old illegal immigrant who is looking for any kind of job to help pay for his mother's medical treatments. And elsewhere, Dando (Eran Naim) is a policeman drawn into the chaotic life of Binj (Scandar Copti), a suspected drug dealer who has been arrested for attacking a Jewish neighbor; Dando is also preoccupied with the fate of his brother, who has suddenly gone missing. Ajami won a special distinction award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Cast

Shahir Kabaha
as Omar
Ibrahim Ferrer
Ibrahim Frege
as Malek
Fouad Habash
as Nasri
Youssef Sahwani
as Abu Elias
Ranin Karim
as Hadir
Eran Naim
as Dando
Scandar Copti
as Binj
Abu George Shibli
as Sido
Nisrin Rihan
as Ilham
Elias Sabah
as Shata
Nisrine Rihan
as Ilham
Ghassan Ashkar
as Nasri's Uncle
Sigal Harel
as Dando's sister
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News & Interviews for Ajami

Critics Consensus: From Paris With Love Is Not Bon
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Critic Reviews for Ajami

All Critics (68) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (66) | Rotten (2)

  • What comes through is that the troubles besetting Muslims and Jews and their emotional responses are similar in nature. The people involved have so much in common.

    January 13, 2018 | Full Review…

    Ed Koch

    The Atlantic
    Top Critic

  • The pattern of connections and coincidences is a little overschematic, but the movie has energy, especially in the grippingly real shooting scene at the beginning.

    June 17, 2010 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

    Peter Bradshaw

    Guardian
    Top Critic

  • A rare film that will force you to confront your own prejudices.

    June 17, 2010 | Rating: 4/5

    Matt Bochenski

    Little White Lies
    Top Critic

  • This is vividly challenging, utterly inclusive and heartfelt cinema. It's not only gripping to watch, but it'll open your eyes to the intractable human conundrums behind the blood-stained headlines.

    June 16, 2010 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    Trevor Johnston

    Time Out
    Top Critic

  • The performances are searingly intense, all delivered by non-professionals cast to type and extemporizing within the parameters of the script. They take the play out of acting, and the effect is unvarnished realism.

    May 28, 2010 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Rick Groen

    Globe and Mail
    Top Critic

  • The fact that these two Israelis from opposite camps worked together to make this movie is as important as the movie itself.

    April 29, 2010 | Full Review…

    Jonathan F. Richards

    Film.com
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (68)

Audience Reviews for Ajami

  • Nov 27, 2011
    Directed by a Palestinian and an Israeli, this film tells the stories of several men in Israel/Palestine who struggle in the midst of colonization and ethnic hatred. It wasn't until over an hour into the film that I finally figured out what was going on. The directors use an Tarantino-esque style of fractured narration and points of view, and though it may have been my fault - I might have been slow on the uptake - the story-telling was not as crisp as Tarantino, who is able to introduce all his characters in a short period of time without letting plot lines dangle too long. That said, once <i>Ajami</i> revealed itself, I found it remarkably compelling. Every moment rang with verisimilitude, and it felt like I was watching real people's lives unfold in a tragic, star-crossed land. Compared to other genuine films about Israel/Palestine, like <i>Laila's Birthday</i>, <i>Ajami</i> is much darker, almost hopeless. Its message is a desperate condemnation of the hatred and violence that suffuse everyday life in the directors' homelands. Overall, I think now that you know you can trust the directors' storytelling - that you know that it all makes sense by the end - you might be able to enjoy the hell out of this important film.
    Jim H Super Reviewer
  • Jan 23, 2011
    It took a bit of time to figure out the disjointed non-linear plotting with this film. The detailed flashbacks, with increasingly more details, was likely the whole point of the movie. Every time more details were filled in, and more information was available, the assumptions about the motives and actions of the characters became more understandable. By the very end, it all came together in a most shocking way. Well done.
    Cynthia S Super Reviewer
  • Dec 19, 2010
    Powerful film! Also hard to absorb some of the segments in the film at times!
    Linda K Super Reviewer
  • Dec 16, 2010
    The best film of its kind since "The Edge of Heaven". It's hard to believe that this masterpiece was concocted by nonprofessionals, since its authenticity transcends conventional filmmaking. This is a complex and convoluted non-linear story that is so brilliantly constructed and connected, it easily trumps films like "Crash" and "Babel".
    Richard F Super Reviewer
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