Everything Is Illuminated

Name: Everything Is Illuminated
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: September 16, 2005
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 58
Cast: Boris Leskin, Elijah Wood, Eugene Hutz

2005

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Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 65 Ratings

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Everything Is Illuminated

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) | Release Date: September 16, 2005 | PG-13

Starring: Boris Leskin, Elijah Wood, Eugene Hutz

Summary: Based on the critically-acclaimed novel by Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated tells the story of a young man's quest to find the woman who saved his grandfather in a small Ukrainian town that was wiped off the map by the Nazi invasion. (Warner Independent Pictures)

Director: Liev Schreiber

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

A film that grows in reflection. The first time I saw it, I was hurtling down the tracks of a goofy ethnic comedy when suddenly we entered dark and dangerous territory. I admired the film but did not sufficiently appreciate its arc. Read full review

Premiere Glenn Kenny

I have misgivings about Schreiber's use of the well-worn "I'll make you empathize with these Others, but first let's have laughs at their expense" approach, but eventually I was won over by his humane, moving road trip. Read full review

Michael Rechtshaffen

Leave it to Liev: Schreiber capably adds writer-director to his impressive resume with this winning take on the Jonathan Safran Foer novel. Read full review

Carrie Rickey

Whimsically conjures the magic-realist imagery of the novel while pruning the book of its narrative undergrowth. What results is a striking piece of topiary shorn of its vital branches. Read full review

Dallas Observer Melissa Levine

Schreiber's edits gut the story of its power and punch. His film is strong on comedy and farce, enjoyable as a quirky-friendship gag, but it fails in its attempt at tragedy. Read full review

Keith Phipps

But the parts of Foer's lively novel that didn't get cut in the script stage have died on the way to the screen. To be fair, it's not an easy novel to adapt. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Liev Schreiber's film version of "Everything Is Illuminated" achieves the impossible — it's even more annoying than Jonathan Safran Foer's gratingly precocious novel. Read full review

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User Reviews

thatsDmitry

Jun 28, 2020

this is my favorite movie, can't describe how much I love it, it's so touching and at the same time funny

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JackS.

Apr 29, 2006

That rare film that successfully blends laugh-out-loud humor with drama.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

BryanM

Oct 27, 2009

Though admittedly I have not read the book, even as a more shallow adaptation, this film cannot be denied as a work of art.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

billys.

Oct 30, 2005

I could'nt wait to see this after i saw a trailer for it in july, when i saw the one-sheet and Matthew Libatique was the cinematographer, that raised my anticipation even more. Needless to say, it was better than i had hoped for! Why are these the films that always get passed over at I could'nt wait to see this after i saw a trailer for it in july, when i saw the one-sheet and Matthew Libatique was the cinematographer, that raised my anticipation even more. Needless to say, it was better than i had hoped for! Why are these the films that always get passed over at Oscar time? It deserves nominations for adapted screenplay, supporting actor(Eugene Hutz) and Cinematography atleast, but you know the mega budget movies will buy all their nods anyway.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

AutiTakahashi

May 14, 2012

"Everything is Illuminated" is a movie about memories and the things that certain people do with them. Some treasure each memory with zeal and optimism; others spend a lifetime filtering every dark moment with a hope of never having to suffer in remembrance of it. So many things can happen"Everything is Illuminated" is a movie about memories and the things that certain people do with them. Some treasure each memory with zeal and optimism; others spend a lifetime filtering every dark moment with a hope of never having to suffer in remembrance of it. So many things can happen to us, both good and bad, and it's not unusual to occasionally wish that we can control our ability to remember, and forget.

Elijah Wood stars as Jonathan, a Jewish-American who is about to travel to Ukraine in search of the woman who saved his grandfather's life during the Second World War. His eyes are magnified by his thick glasses and his hair is cautiously combed, which rightfully matches his black suite. Our first impression of Jonathan is a man who is curious and disciplined. We are even hinted that he has an obsessive-compulsive nature the first time we see a wall in his home almost completely covered with plastic bags containing items that is there to simply remind him.

While Jonathan is yet to arrive, we are introduced to a Ukrainian family whose business is to help Jews find the place where their ancestors have perished. This is where the movie suddenly adapts a comedic tone. The eldest son is Alex, who is the film's narrator. His skills in English are lacking in an appealing way. He claims to be a "premium" dancer, and is not very excited to learn that he must accompany his grandfather in "the commencement of a very rigid search." Because Grandfather, the designated driver of the search, claims to be blind, they bring along Sammy Davis Junior Jr. He is the official "seeing eye **** I kinda love these guys.

Read more here: http://localmoviereview.com/everything-is-illuminated/… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JohnO

Apr 18, 2007

I found this by pure chance on TV last night and I'm glad because I had absolutely no preconceptions of what to expect, having never heard of either the book or the film. As with 99% of adaptations, people (my girlfriend) who have read the book will perhaps expect too much from it. I found this by pure chance on TV last night and I'm glad because I had absolutely no preconceptions of what to expect, having never heard of either the book or the film. As with 99% of adaptations, people (my girlfriend) who have read the book will perhaps expect too much from it. Yes, perhaps the characters aren't fully realised but it is nonetheless very charming and sensitive without feeling the need to outrage or melodramatise. It will probably be criticised too by some for being erratic but for me at least this added to the film's eccentricity and its overall appeal.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Travis

Sep 19, 2005

This movie was pretty pathetic. Though that may be because of how much I loved the book. I found it hard to sit through.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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