Amreeka
Imagenation Abu Dhabi FZ | Release Date: September 4, 2009 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
73
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews
Positive:
19
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Amreeka is strategically inviting and carefully mild even when making unsubtle points about Palestinian suffering and American insensitivity. Read full review
89
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Amreeka is anything but a depressing digression on American wartime paranoia. Read full review
88
USA TodayClaudia Puig
This slice of American life, as seen through the eyes of Palestinian immigrants, is nuanced, engaging and authentically observed. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
A heartwarming film, not a political dirge. Much of this warmth comes from the actress Nisreen Faour. Read full review
88
St. Louis Post-DispatchCalvin Wilson
It's one of the funniest and most perceptive films of the year. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
Dabis, a Palestinian-American, has thoroughly re-energized the genre with refreshing wit, honest emotions, incisive observations and a perfect cast. Read full review
80
VarietyRob Nelson
A culture-clash dramedy whose background in Middle-East conflict is leavened with vibrant energy, balanced politics and droll humor by first-time feature director Cherien Dabis. Read full review
80
Village VoiceElla Taylor
There's nothing bitter or cynical about Amreeka, which is directed with impish wit, an observant visual competence, and an open, conciliatory spirit. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
This is a pointed, emotional story of a divorced Palestinian woman and her son who immigrate to the U.S. just after the invasion of Iraq, a story that benefits from Dabis' background as a child growing up in the Midwest during the Gulf War as the daughter of a Palestinian father and a Jordanian mother. Read full review
80
Washington PostJan Stuart
Abetted by an observant cast, she (Dabis) navigates across politically and emotionally fraught terrain with a warming inflection of humor and a mother-hen's attention to the needs of all of her characters. Read full review
75
New York PostLou Lumenick
This small gem takes a basically optimistic view about the struggles that generations of immigrants have endured. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWalter Addiego
The acting is good, particularly by Faour, who plays the naive, zaftig heroine as warm and appealing despite her troubles. It's also nice to see veteran Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass ("Lemon Tree"), who plays Muna's sister. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
It’s one of the richer movies you’re likely to see about average Arabs in America. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Filmmaker Dabis based Amreeka on her own family's experiences in the rural Midwest during the first Gulf War. Although the drama heads on a predictable course, Faour brings intelligence and humor to her performance and Muallem, as the smart adolescent turned surly and scared, is likewise sharp. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
A kind of stealth political film that confronts issues of ethnic tension and American xenophobia. Read full review
75
New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike Scott
Only one of a number of recent immigrant tales to hit theaters, but with its blend of sweet humor and topical relevance, it's one of the more compelling -- and surprising -- in some time. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
When most filmmakers want to say something important about cultural conflicts, they labor to bring tears to our eyes. Dabis, by contrast, makes us laugh at ourselves and, in turn, each other. Read full review
70
The New York TimesStephen Holden
One of the most accomplished recent films about a non-European immigrant coming to the United States. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJoanne Kaufman
Writer-director Cherien Dabis shot Amreeka in a gritty documentary style that reflects the often grim reality of the characters' situation. But he also knows how to mine the comic situations that are often part of the immigrant experience. Read full review
60
Time OutStephen Garrett
If the story were more arresting, and the filmmaking more original, then the notions of post-9/11 assimilation might be more compelling. As it stands, the movie just serves up another warmed-over Ellis Island rehash. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderAndrea Gronvall
With her large, expressive eyes, abundant warmth, and radiant energy, Faour commands our sympathy, even through some weak dialogue and even weaker plot points. Read full review
60
Total FilmSimon Kinnear
The culture clash comedy cleaves to predictability but the story’s specificity sustains its perceptive look at the human impact of post-9/11 jingoism. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
Amreeka lacks the sense of humor that set "Aliens In America" apart--and frankly, it’s rarely as insightful about the biases and strengths either of Arab émigrés or of sheltered Midwesterners. Read full review
40
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
Faour and Muallen give solid performances, but there are a few too many by-the-numbers moments. Read full review
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