Monsieur Ibrahim
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: December 5, 2003 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews
Positive:
27
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Surely there is room in the movies for a small film with an unabashed, even old-fashioned but timeless humanist spirit -- and a triumphant portrayal by a veteran star that is likely to be regarded as one of the year's best. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Most movingly, Monsieur Ibrahim takes a provocative subject -- friendship and love between a Jew and a Muslim -- and makes it seem natural and wondrous. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Tender but never sappy, Monsieur Ibrahim brings two people of vastly different age and background together in ways that are touching, and telling. It's a small, glowing gem. Read full review
88
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
Monsieur Ibrahim is about people interacting as people, not symbols (one reason, Sharif has said, he took the role was to help his grandchildren's generation understand that idea). Read full review
83
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
A gracefully subtle, sweet-spirited French parable of the brotherhood of man that was nominated for a Golden Globe, won Omar Sharif a César Award for best actor and has been a surprise hit in Europe. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianMarc Mohan
Warmhearted lesson in tolerance. Read full review
80
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
Contrary to expectation, it's neither a movie about religion nor the coming together of enemies. What it is, at heart, is a movie about love. Read full review
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
A movie suffused with a warm glow of nostalgia for times and music and movies gone by. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
The movie is sometimes profound in its simple, optimistic message of friendship -- and sometimes it's plain simple. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
Omar Sharif certainly doesn't disappoint in Monsieur Ibrahim. The casting alone promises something extraordinary. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
The script falters at the end, as the two reach the Turkish village where Ibrahim was raised. But the winning performances -- and killer '60s soundtrack -- save the day. Read full review
75
USA TodayMike Clark
The movie has a couple of surprises, including a major plot turn at the end that leads to a memorable resolution somewhere between happy and wistful. Read full review
75
PremierePeter Debruge
With the careful timing and nuance of a master actor, Sharif turns a two-dimensional sketch into the film's most absorbing character. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Its best scenes come as the characters are established and get to know one another. Sharif at 71 still has the fire in his eyes that we remember from "Lawrence of Arabia," and is still a handsome presence. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleRuthe Stein
Adapted from a French play but never seems stage- bound. Read full review
70
Village VoiceLeslie Camhi
Unusual in its ambition to pose deep spiritual questions, but its enticing surfaces -- including the beautiful working girls and Isabelle Adjani's surprise cameo as a Bardot-esque starlet -- are the best thing about it. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDuane Byrge
Both an appealing coming-of-age yarn and, as Monsieur Ibrahim embraces his own mortality, a heartfelt coming-of-aging saga. Read full review
70
VarietyDeborah Young
Unshaven and twinkling-eyed, Sharif is professionally light and entertaining in the title role. Read full review
70
The New York TimesDana Stevens
The two central performances help the lesson go down easily, and Mr. Duperyon's unassuming, slightly ragged realism gives the movie a sweet, lived-in charm. Mr. Sharif, grizzled and white-haired at 71, has lost none of the charisma that made him an international movie star in the 1960's, and Mr. Boulanger, in his first feature film, shows impressive self-assurance. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Boulanger is completely captivating as the kind of kid Truffaut would have adored, but it's Sharif's show. Next to his portrayal of Yuri in "Dr. Zhivago", this may be role for which he'll be best remembered. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Adapting a novel by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, François Dupeyron uses handheld cameras and some jarring edits, but, prostitutes and all, this is storybook material: heartfelt, pleasant, cuddly, and a little too insubstantial to stick in the mind for long. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderMeredith Brody
Sentimental. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleSteve Davis
The titular role of Monsieur Ibrahim is not a terribly taxing one, but Sharif effortlessly demonstrates that he still has the stuff that made him a star so many years ago – he exudes a charismatic appeal that is apparently timeless. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
It is a treat to see Sharif back on the screen and Boulanger is a pleasure to watch. They make Monsieur Ibrahim better than it is. Read full review
63
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Agreeable enough motion picture, but not one that leaves any sort of lasting impression. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
When Shirley MacLaine made this same movie, more or less, as "Madame Sousatzka," there was a whole lot of acting going on. Sharif brings us to Ibrahim with a modesty that oddly reminds you of why the actor is a legend. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
Among the lessons that Monsieur Ibrahim conveys to Moses, and the most appealing aspect of the film, is to delight in sensual pleasure. Read full review
60
The New RepublicStanley Kauffmann
At least we have the chance to see Sharif again, with our memory of the sun behind him, even though this film is not much more than a sweetmeat--Turkish delight. Read full review
60
Dallas ObserverMelissa Levine
By the end, Monsieur Ibrahim's determination to be lighthearted in the face of tragedy is a little wearying. Read full review
50
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
Excusez-moi, but I'd rather see Omar Sharif punching out croupiers in a casino than dispensing comfort and joy in this sugared-up tale. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
While the story is sentimental, heartfelt acting makes its impact less manipulative. Read full review
40
Film ThreatPhil Hall
Maybe someday an enterprising filmmaker will make a film about this forgotten chapter in Muslim-Jewish relations. It would be a lot more compelling and memorable than the nonsense in Monsieur Ibrahim. Read full review
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