The Bottom Line
Pros
- Charismatic lead actors (Omar Sharif and teenager Pierre Boulanger)
- Heartwarming tale of friendship between an elderly Muslim and a young Jew
- Fascinating location shooting in Paris and Turkey
Cons
- Some may be troubled that the film, especially toward the end, is not completely believable
- Some may find the movie’s pacing too leisurely
- Some may be put off by the sentimentality that emerges as the film winds down
Description
- DVD containing French-language drama "Monsieur Ibrahim" (2003)
- Movie stars Omar Sharif and charming teenage French actor Pierre Boulanger
- DVD provides English-language audio commentary by actor Omar Sharif
- Excellent picture (anamorphic widescreen 1.66:1, Color) and excellent sound quality
- MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content
- Feature run time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- DVD release date: July 6, 2004
Guide Review - "Monsieur Ibrahim" DVD
After a pubescent boy goes to a neighborhood prostitute and loses his virginity, would he show his gratitude by giving her his teddy bear? Well, that’s what happens in "Monsieur Ibrahim," a coming-of-age drama I found very charming when I watched it recently on DVD. My enjoyment of the movie was enhanced enormously by the performance of one of my favorite actors, Omar Sharif.
Although the film's dialogue is in French, the DVD provides an audio track where Sharif gives a feature-length, scene-specific, English-language commentary on the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the mellifluous voice of the Egyptian-born actor and learned a lot by listening to him.
Set in the 1960s, the story is about Momo (Pierre Boulanger), a Jewish boy who's struggling with growing up in his working-class Paris neighborhood. But he befriends the Koran-reading Monsieur Ibrahim (Omar Sharif), a Turk who runs a small grocery store. Eventually, the elderly Muslim buys an automobile, and he and the teenage Jew set off together on a trip to Turkey.
I see "Monsieur Ibrahim" as a parable about looking beyond the differences in ethnicity, religion, and culture that divide us and seeking the common humanity we all share. But rarely has a movie delivered that message in such an eloquent way, and I attribute that to writer-director François Dupeyron and his two lead actors, Pierre Boulanger and Omar Sharif. I highly recommend this moving and beautifully made film.
