A remarkably engaging, observant approach to a prickly situation
Comment
07/27/09
Amreeka (2009)
88
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:51
Fresh:45
Rotten:6
Average Rating:7.1/10
Consensus: A dramedy that's got a taste for the tragic as well as the poignantly comic, Amreeka adds a new sweetness to the hope and distress of the immigrant experience.
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: AMREEKA chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small town Illinois. ... [More]
Starring: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda
Director: Cherien Dabis
Reviews for Amreeka
Dabis wisely keeps her film firmly grounded in the personal and specific...focusing on the experiences of one family which she makes us care about.
11/20/09
It's the humanity of the work that makes it resonate and the insight into a culture closed to most Australians that makes it illuminating
11/13/09
Writer director Cherien Dabis writes about what she knows about being a stranger in a new land: the difficulties, the isolation, the conflicts, the misunderstandings. The result is a heartfelt and engaging film
11/13/09
The movie is insightful in its depiction of Palestinian suffering and the insensitivity of the United States. Faour is very appealing in the lead role, making great use of her hope-filled eyes.
10/30/09
You can try to resist it, but by the time Cherien Dabis’ writing/directing effort is over, you’ll be completely sucked in.
10/30/09
Amreeka is a sweet-natured film about the experiences of a Palestinian woman and her teenage son when they emigrate to Illinois.
10/30/09
A feel-good comedy about a Palestinian mother who moves to rural Illinois with her teenaged son, Amreeka is a kind of stealth political film that confronts issues of ethnic tension and American xenophobia.
10/30/09
Amreeka makes its points with gentle humour and engaging performances -- especially Faour, who makes Muna so likeable it's impossible not to cross your fingers and hope her luck is about to change.
10/30/09
Director Cherien Dabis' debut feature is a surprising, humorous, moving and very human story about a Palestinian family's emigration to Illinois on the eve of the Iraq war.
10/15/09
A good-hearted film about the resilience of the human spirit.
10/14/09
Director-writer Cherien Dabis drew the story from life..., and the script is brimming with tiny details that lend it authenticity.
10/09/09
The movie is honest about the way it depicts family relationships and racial prejudices. A believable and fresh-faced cast also helps in that regard.
10/08/09
The immigrant experience gets a fresh, post- 9/11 Palestinian spin in Amreeka, a film that has all the familiar ingredients but is such a well-acted, winning re-combination of those that we see them with fresh eyes.
10/02/09
As much as I enjoyed spending time with these characters, it's hard not to bristle at the overall After-School Special vibe.
09/29/09
You keep rooting for these characters, even as the plot takes a series of broad and overly familiar turns.
09/25/09
Faour, in an Oscar-worthy performance, renders Muna in shades of love and hope.
09/25/09
An earnest comedy-drama, which covers familiar territory but in an unpretentious, and so reasonably pleasant fashion.
09/24/09
As poignant as it is buoyant.
09/24/09
For the most part, Dabis and her actors charm their way through this material, finding absurdist humor even in the darkest moments.
09/24/09
Latest News for Amreeka
September 05, 2009:
Trailer & Poster review 
More...
March 17, 2009:
National Geographic Is Coming to Amreeka
National Geographic Entertainment has purchased the rights to the Sundance favorite "Amreeka," securing a theatrical run for the drama about a Palestinian family's experiences... More...
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