Monsieur Ibrahim (2003) User Reviews

Saint Ibrahim

[rainking_es · 8/10 · 3 September 2004]

Paris, France. Late 50's/early 60's. Momo is a teenager who lives alone with his father in some poor and decadent neighborhood, full of prostitutes and where people of any race and religion live together. He's a jew but he doesn't care that much about religion and what it means. In fact, he can only think about girls and sex; but he girls of his same age wouldn't have sex with him; so he hires a prostitute (and he gets keen of that -so much that he'll become close friends of some of the hookers of his street-). However, his life ain't easy at all: her mother went away years ago, his father doesn't love him ... and it's getting harder everyday; but he finds comfort and friendship in Ibrahim, a Turkish shopkeeper that will become the most relevant figure in Momo's life.

"Monsieur Ibrahim" is a movie about tolerance, about friendship, about real commitment. Every sentence that Ibrahim says to Momo is full of wisdom and simplicity; they're just like darts to be stick in the eye of every single fanatic, racist, and intolerant person in this world. It's a movie about kicking out prejudices. A Jew and a Muslim who love each other, who respect each other, who listen each other. Too wonderful to be true.

The story is constructed in two parts: the inner/initiative trip of Momo, his discovering of sex and love, his discovering of the huge wisdom that Ibrahim and wants to share with the young boy; and the car trip to Turkey together with Monsieur Ibrahim in which he'll learn about different cultures, and religions, and the different ways of life here and there, all along Europe till they get to Ibrahim's birthplace: some little village in the mountains of Turkey.

The film it's been filmed with the same simplicity that Ibrahim shows in his personal philosophy, with a sober and rather neo-realistic style. Young Pierre Boulanger (Momo) gives the perfect reply to Omar Sharif (Ibrahim), an outstanding actor in state of grace. It's a pity that Mr. Sharif had made too many bad films in the last 30 years. His talent has no limits, and this calm serene and tender Ibrahim proves it. I dare to say this is his best performance (and maybe his best film) since Doctor Zhivago.

My rate: 8/10

religion of love and patience - explaining the plot to the evil-minded

[btodorov · 6/10 · 5 April 2005]

This is a reply to a couple of rather rash and inconsiderate comments above, done by people who apparently not only live in a world of hatred and mistrust but cannot even assess the obvious messages in an easy-going, unambiguous and outspoken story.

This movie has nothing to do with RELIGIOUS PROPAGANDA! Mr Ibrahim does NOT at any point try to proselytize Moise. Moise does NOT change his name, does NOT change religion and does NOT deny his roots. He was adopted for personal, and not confessional reasons.

The author of the novel upon which the movie is based is a French Jew by the same name as the main character. This quite easily explains why the boy had to be Jewish and not, let's say, Christian, for that matter. To see propaganda here is a proof of bad taste.

Momo was poor and an obviously bad student - he had no bright future which to sacrifice, that is why he settled himself with the grocery store, not because he was proselytized to adopt Arab ways.

Mr Ibrahim made it quite clear that his wisdom does not come from the Koran, but from life, he was a half-literate man, he led a secluded life, he attended no prayers, he did not speak of the Prophet or whoever. He quoted the Koran only on matters of love because this is what interested him. What Mr Ibrahim knew "was in his Koran", which apparently escaped the attention of the paranoic Muslim-haters above, were the two flowers (hey, they are part of the title of the movie!), a remembrance of his long-dead wife and love of his life.

This was a movie about how religious messages may be perceived in a spirit of love and harmony with the world and not in terms of self-seclusion, mutual suspicion and hatred. Yes, the visits to the churches and mosques were a little too naively funny to be convincing, but the message was easy to grasp - there is A LEVEL OF PERSONAL RECEPTION of religious messages, the "inner religion" about which young Moise was wondering what it meant, which is equally easy to approach by all adepts to all confessions.

I actually did not like the movie that much - the plot was partly lame and too fairy-tale-like for such a "show-life-as-it-is" kind of movie. But I felt obliged to write this comment in order to defend it against undeserved xenophobic slanders.

Monsieur Ibrahim: 8/10

[movieguy1021 · 8/10 · 13 May 2004]

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that's so simple in nature, so kind in its intentions that it can't be American. One of those select movies is Monsieur Ibrahim, a simplistic, realistic story that takes place in a lower-income area in Paris, where prostitutes roam the street, the streets are overcrowded so much that it's quicker to walk than drive, and two unlikely people meet to form an unlikely but lasting friendship.

Moses (Pierre Boulanger) is a sixteen year old boy who uses the previously mentioned prostitutes often, as his father is too busy making ends meet to really have an impact in Moses's life. When he's caught shoplifting in Ibrahim's (Omar Sharif) store, they soon bond and become friends. Ibrahim teaches Moses many things about life, the universe, and everything. Soon, Moses is basically forced to flee from his home, so the two of them go off on a road trip.

The one thing that sold me about Monsieur Ibrahim was the genuine relationship that seemed to be shared between the two characters. It wasn't anything that seems to be prevalent in cinema now, such as pedophilia or loneliness or the young person teaching life lessons to the older person. It's just like the relationship that many people have with their friends. There were a few times where I felt that it was a little too close for comfort, but other than that, it's just a simple friendship, nothing more.

Ibrahim always had something to say about one thing or another. I especially agreed with his views on money, although some of the dance sequences (and his mediations on dance) seemed a little too heavy (and untrue) for a movie like this. A movie like this switches successfully between comedy and drama (I especially love the piggy-bank analogy), and works. At the end, though, it was predictable, but the final turn worked well. Overall, Monsieur Ibrahim works very well overall, and is one of the most surprising movies I've seen so far this year.

My rating: 8/10

Rated R for some sexual content.

moving coming-of-age story with a starmaking performance

[Buddy-51 · 10 October 2004]

'Monsieur Ibrahim' is a fine coming-of-age tale set in 1960's Paris. Young Pierre Boulanger gives a remarkably assured performance as Moses, a Jewish teen living with his cold, skinflint of a dad in a less-than-savory part of town. Abandoned by his mother and living in the shadow of a brother who has himself fled the scene, Moses leads an embittered existence, seeking surcease in the beds of the local prostitutes who ply their trade on the street where he lives. Moses is finally befriended by an aged shopkeeper named Ibrahim Demirdji, a Safi Muslim who, after Moses' father commits suicide, adopts the boy and instills in him valuable life lessons, gleaned from his religious training and his long years of experience.

In terms of its storyline, 'Monsieur Ibrahim' offers little that is new here (the idea of an older mentor figure raising an orphan child of a different religion goes at least as far back as 'The Two of Us' in 1968 and probably much further) . Where it excels is in its tenderhearted view of daily life and in its subtle plea for understanding between Arab and Jew. Moses is an almost heartbreakingly ordinary kid, a fact which makes his story all the more compelling (he has much of the rough-and-tumble poignancy of the boy in 'The 400 Blows'). We can identify with every emotion he is going through on his painful journey to adulthood: his fears, his insecurities, his need for acceptance, his appreciation of simple kindnesses. Moses lives in a world where life can sometimes be cruel, but where fellow human beings reach out to help one another in their moments of greatest need.

This is a beautiful, heartfelt film that doesn't stand on its head to try and impress us. It seeps into our hearts one scene at a time, until, by the end, we realize what a profound emotional impact it has had on us. Veteran actor Omar Sharif is wonderful as the solid and wise Monsieur Ibrahim, but it is Boulanger who is the real revelation here. This amazing young actor is the true heart and soul of the film, an absolute natural. He is very rarely off screen, and he rivets our attention on his character in a way that most highly paid movie actors can merely dream about doing. I hope he makes many more films in the future.

Nice Cheerful Little French Movie

[Paolo_UK · 7/10 · 26 October 2003]

I went to see the movie after reading very good reviews during last Venice Film Festival. It was generally described as a fairytale about tolerance and friendship - ant that's what it is. A fairytale Paris quarter, with fairytale 'putaines', a wise middle aged shopkeeper, a smart teenager - everyday life goes on with a little happiness, a little tragedy, nice period music, simple happy philosophy. The second half of the movie goes on-the-road - in a fairytale Turkey, though definitely more realistic than Paris. Omar Sharif is good, and Pierre Boulanger is even better. This film is perfect to spend a cheerful evening and it is a little joyful lesson on religious tolerance and friendship.

Charming and subtle; a fabric woven from childhood memories.

[Bob Pr. · 9/10 · 5 May 2004]

"Monsieur Ibrahim"

I'd read some user comments and external reviews; the view of some that it's anti-Semitic almost made me skip it. However, unless you'd see the sympathetic portrayal of a Muslim man (Ibrahim/Sharif) as being anti-Semitic, it's unlikely you'll be bothered.

I don't know what the thrust of the book is, but movies rarely literally translate books; the book may suggest but the film moves in its own direction -- even, at times, contrarily.

This film reminded me a great deal of "Le mari de la coiffeuse/The Hair Dresser's Husband") directed and co-written by Patrice Leconte. That film also has a coming of age boy; getting haircuts, he's enthralled at having his head pressed against the bosom of his female barber. When his father questions his son about what he wishes to do when he's grown up and is displeased with the answer, he sends him to bed without his supper. The rest of the film (without any clear transition) deals with the boy's fantasy about someday marrying a lady barber and what their life would be like. It's a realistic portrayal of an adolescent boy's fantasy.

On the surface this film recounts the development of a mutually satisfying father-son type relationship that develops between a Turkish shopkeeper and a coming of age boy (MoMO/Boulanger) who is Jewish, by the way.

I say "on the surface" because most films try to tell a story in a way that we experience, see and live the story from a fly on the wall perspective.

Ahh-h, but not THIS film.

While you COULD view it that way, it's really far better understood if viewed from a different perspective.

Let's say you wandered in to the shop on this Parisian street one afternoon and heard the owner called "the Arab." You wonder why and also how he got into this particular trade. You start asking and he starts telling you the story of his life.

And that's what this movie tells us -- HIS version of HIS story as experienced through HIS eyes and ears growing up. So it's a realistic portrayal of that collection of childhood memories, assumptions, distortions, and causes.

As a child, do we see things the way we'd see them as an adult? Never, and so it is with this version. Everything is somewhat overdrawn, not quite a caricature but somewhat that way. All the streetwalkers are attractive, 21-31 years old, well dressed, and kind. None middle-aged, trashy, disturbed, or predatory. As we recount the story of our lives, we frequently expand the highs and lows and are liberal in delegating blame to those who disappoint us as well as credit to those who serve as heroes. And that's what this movie does.

Seen from this frame of reference, not all events make logical sense. So we never know for sure what happened to his father, or mother, or brother. We have his sometimes conflicting memories and versions, his suppositions that substitute for reality and which leave us wondering, "Golly, I wonder what really happened?"

Some things, of course, we'll never know. But it was fun finding out what we did. We had an interesting afternoon with the guy and he had a remarkable story to tell.

One of the best pictures of all time? No. But a thoroughly entertaining one most especially for those of us interested in family dynamics.

Simple story told many times over the years

[bobbobwhite · 6/10 · 2 May 2005]

This simple type of "buddy" film story has been seen too many times before to be totally new and different to me, thus it did not grab and hold my interest and heart the same way it might have done for a young person seeing the story for the first time. And, as shown in the film, there is always a "first time".

That being said, the film was pleasant enough if not overly impressive, as it was mostly a gentle little story about a lonely, older Muslim storekeeper, with a vast storehouse of wisdom and life experiences, befriending an essentially orphaned 16 year old Jewish(more or less incidentally) boy in 1960 Paris, and the small slices of daily life in the teeming semi-ghetto they shared as the old man's wisdom and life's experience was gradually transferred to the next generation, as it always must be done. As the old man himself said, "if you want to learn something, don't read a book...talk to someone".

Shoplifting, hooker sex, a suicide, failed first love, an adoption, a buddy road trip, and the end...there you have it. Not a lot of weight here, but enjoyable enough. And, it must be for most as this story is filmed again and again through the years and this one was nearly as good as any. The story worked well enough for me until the final buddy road trip, where it all ended a bit too abruptly for my taste. Too much had been shared to end it all so quickly.

Seeing an older man/young boy story like this one unfolding, I might suspect an underlying pedophilia reason for the man's intense interest in the boy. What a pleasure to see that not develop here, knowing all too well the weird and sick story development of many of today's films that is often so disgusting to mature viewers.

Many thanks to the filmmaker for not taking that edgy "modern" track, and for keeping the film's overall sense of sweetness and loving paternalism intact to the end.

A Wonderful and Sensitive Tale of Friendship

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 8 November 2005]

In a street called Blue in a very poor neighborhood in Paris, Monsieur Ibrahim (Omar Shariff) is an old Muslin Turkish owner of a small market. He becomes friend of the teenager Jewish Moises, tenderly nicknamed Momo (Pierre Boulanger), who lives with his father in a small apartment on the other side of the street. Monsieur Ibrahim gives paternal love and teaches the knowledge of the Koran to the boy, receiving in return love and respect.

"Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran" is a wonderful and sensitive tale of friendship. Omar Shariff gives one of his best performances in the role of an experienced and very good man that follows the teaching of his sacred book as his principle of life. Pierre Boulanger has also a great acting in the role of a needy teenager that finds the father he has never had in Monsieur Ibrahim. This delicate and sweet movie deserves to be watched many times, especially in those days that the viewer is down and sorrow, to enlighten his or her life. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Uma Amizade Sem Fronteiras" ("A Friendship Without Boundaries")

Very nice

[=G= · 7/10 · 10 July 2004]

"Monsieur Ibrahim" tells the tale of a Jewish boy coming of age in a poor Parisian neighborhood under the watchful eye of a kindly old Muslim who runs the local minimart (the title character, Sharif). A sort of easy going slice-of-life and coming-of-age flick in which a kindly old man shares his Islamic wisdom with a young boy who is mastering puberty in fine style as he takes on the local street walkers, learns than stealing is bad without losing a hand, and gets jilted by his kinda/sorta sweetheart, etc. Though the film isn't going to make cinema history, it does muster some warmth, poignancy, and charm with minimal subtitles and ample golden oldie pop music. Should make for a pleasant watch for those into foreign flix about people. (B)

Memories do not always make perfect sense

[drslop · 9/10 · 4 August 2006]

In reading some of the comments here, I wondered if I had seen the same movie.

We are being told a story that consists entirely of Momo's memories, impressions and, possibly, fantasies of when he was growing up.

So it seems strange that, for example, some reviewers complain here that there is not enough formal comparative religion or, God/Allah/Yahweh help us, that the film is antisemitic.

I also wondered why no-one (apparently) mentioned what Momo found inside M. Ibrahim's Koran (which surprised and intrigued me) and what that might mean.

The message boards didn't help much -- and there was more ranting about more or less nothing and "facts" that seems unlikely, to say the least.

Then I found the author's site and things started to make a lot more sense.

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt tells us that Momo and Monsieur Ibrahim are two people who pass unnoticed through the world. Momo is an only child with no mother, and a father who barely deserves the name of 'father', too sunk in depression to take care of his son and bring him up, or teach him and hand on to him a taste for life and its principles. As for Monsieur Ibrahim, the only thing anyone asks of him is that he give them the correct change. Both man and boy change their lives as they get to know one another. Their encounter is a marvelous enrichment.

The author notes that there has been a lot of verbiage about the fact that the child is Jewish and the grocer Muslim -- "Rightly so. It was a deliberate move to create them like that. I set out to prove something and be provocative. What I wanted to prove was that in many places in the world (European capitals, ports, American cities, North African villages), people of different religions from different backgrounds live together in harmony. In Paris, Rue Bleue, the road where this story takes place and where I once lived and which definitely isn't blue, was largely inhabited by Jews with a few Christians and Muslims. They all shared not only the same street, but daily life, their joys, discontents and conversation. Friendships or mutual understanding developed among these people who came from just about everywhere, either geographically or spiritually. In this unpretentious quartier down from Montmartre, I felt I was living somewhere rich and burgeoning, where cultures met, took an interest in each other and joked about their differences."

Also, when Momo is handed Monsieur Ibrahim's old Koran, he finds what was in it -- dried blue flowers. The Koran is the text but it is also what Monsieur Ibrahim has placed in it -- his life, his way of reading, his interpretation. According to the author, "spirituality is not about repeating sentences parrot-fashion, but about grasping the meaning and understanding the concept and shades of meaning, the implications. True spirituality is only worthwhile when obedience and freedom are balanced".

There is a quite a bit more that you may find useful and interesting - search "Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt" if you want to explore further.

Atmopheric piece about a friendship... and trashcans

[Flagrant-Baronessa · 7/10 · 29 September 2006]

In the first scene of the film, 12-year-old Moïse walks down the hot backstreets of Paris on Rue Bleue, summer sizzling in the background, and loses his virginity to a pretty prostitute. The same-titled novel by François Dupeyron opens also on this bold note, setting the blunt no-nonsense tone and approach for the story. It explores the friendship between young Moïse and old Monsieur Ibrahim "the Arab on the corner" and unlike the majority of French cinema, it makes no pretense about it. It is merely a gentle look at how two people cultivate an unlikely father-and-son relationship.

Because Moïse is a Jew and Monsieur Ibrahim (Omar Shariff) is a Muslim, the film pins cultural contrasts and issues of tolerance somewhere in between them, juxtaposing their different personalities through the use of insightful dialogue (the observation about trashcans in different districts comes to mind). Yet for a film primarily about beliefs and outlooks, it never preaches or falls prey to moral messages, which is endlessly refreshing. It does, however, feature a lot of religious undertones throughout and by the time Ibrahim starts teaching Moïse about the Coran, you know the film is about to take a standpoint.

Omar Shariff allegedly came back from retirement to do this low-key film and his dedication to the content shines through in his wonderfully charismatic performance; he is a Morgan Freeman buddy type character and he manages this good-natured persona with effortless conviction. Pierre Boulanger who plays the young boy Moïse is certainly less convincing – not quite capturing the inherent loneliness or idealism of his character that explain why he seeks out prostitutes or befriends the "local Arab". Thankfully, Shariff more than makes up for the latter's lack of skill by being the propelling force behind their dynamic friendship.

Although Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran is largely a character-driven little film, its style and cinematography are elegantly expressed – clear-eyed and blunt at the same time as it manages to convey the dreamy steamy atmosphere of a hot summer day in Paris. Upon shifting to Middle Eastern setting, it features gorgeously striking dusty plains and mountains. A device for the dreamy tone is the consistent use of a particular 1960's song (the film takes place during the 1960's) which invests the whole film in an almost lyrical flow.

There is little wrong with the film and I greatly appreciate the direct approach to story (only a few introspective moments), but it is so low-key that it becomes forgettable. It does not claim to be important, and therefore isn't. It isn't a memorable product and it does not always manage touching, which renders it unremarkable.

7 out 10

Great inspirational film!!

[EAKY · 9/10 · 28 December 2004]

This film is a wonderful example of how one can choose to be a victim or a hero in life! The abrupt start to the movie lets one see the boy's situation immediately. Using the grocery money given to him by his father, he goes searching for his first sexual experience among the prostitutes he observes from the window of his apartment. He is unsupervised, self-sufficient, curious and in desperate need of guidance. The shopkeeper who has been in this boy's life longer than the boy realizes, steps in to be the uplifting and guiding force for him. Initially, I felt a little troubled by the use of the two religions and putting one in a less-kind light. However, I realized that the viewpoint had nothing to do with the religion, rather with the person and how they chose to deal with their life. I will recommend this movie to many people!

Nearby Perfect Transition

[tributarystu · 7/10 · 18 November 2005]

There's always so much at stake when trying to film novels. So many people have to be pleased, that some will, unfortunately, be left on the outside. But the idea is to remain faithful to the book and make the right choices when casting. If it were to be ideal, the script should cover more ground than the dialogs from within the book, and the director's vision should merge with the contents and atmosphere of the novel. I dare say, "Monsieur Ibrahim" comes very close in all these regards.

As a matter of fact it remains nearly 100% faithful to the source: Momo, a young boy living in Paris, neglected by his father, discovers the world around him through women, love and Monsieur Ibrahim, the grocer from the other side of the street. It's a charming and, at times, moving story, mainly because of its innocence. Remaining innocent is always hard. The movie's feel is amazing, as it will probably ease anyone's transcend into Paris of the sixties.

Yet, as the end came near, I remained with the regret that the story wasn't improved on...but maybe improve isn't the perfect word. It's a matter of extrapolation, of a greater perspective. A little bit of something more for those who read the book, some kind of innovation.

The movie's end is all that doesn't abide by the book and while I do not consider the choice taken as appropriate, it is arguably good enough to pass. It comes down to stressing some ideas.

There's little...fundamentalism to be found in "Monsieur Ibrahim". And that's what makes it even more beautiful.

French mores, Hollywood sensibility

[jason_dcruz · 4/10 · 4 January 2006]

This film manifests all that is degenerate about the "coming of age" genre: saccharine sentimentality, numbing cliché, jarringly unsubtle plot devices. Don't be fooled by apparent spiciness of a movie about a sixteen-year-old boy's experimentation with prostitutes. This movie is entirely conventional. And you won't be able to redeem your one-and-a-half hours by just listening to the soundtrack. It's crap too. All of the dramatic tension is relieved after forty minutes, which means that the film wanders aimlessly and pointlessly for another forty. Omar Sharif's commentary on the DVD is similarly inane. There is really nothing to be said in favour of this movie along any dimension.

A film of singular grace

[Chris Knipp · 18 March 2004]

Monsieur Ibrahim (the American distributors have left out the "flowers of the Koran") is from a novel that was made into a play by a popular writer named Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. The French editor's blurb goes like this: "Paris in the 1960s. Momo, a twelve-year- old Jewish boy, befriends the old Arab grocer living on Blue Street. But appearances can be deceptive: Mister Ibrahim is not an Arab, Blue Street is not blue, and maybe the lad is not Jewish..." This is the coming of age tale of a boy who, when his depressed father runs away and throws himself under a train, is adopted by an old "Arab" shopkeeper (actually Turkish) who has become his adoring mentor and solace.

Moïse, nicknamed Momo (Pierre Boulanger), gets laid on his birthday with one of the cutest of the prostitutes who line the street where he lives. He goes back and forth to school and at home fixes dinner for his sad, stingy dad and gets the food from Ibrahim's épicerie down below. Momo's a sweet boy who's full of the joy of life and finds his father's grimness annoying. He gets little revenges like hogging the toilet when dad's laxative is kicking in. The movie is intimate and lovingly textured. Everything happens in the crowded Parisian street. It's summer. Momo puts on a thin white shirt over his undershirt and rehearses his opening to the whore: "Quelle chaleur! C'est combien?" ("What a scorcher! How much do you charge?") The light is beautiful. Pedestrians flow on the narrow sidewalk. The camerawork hugs the scenes, intimate but unobtrusive. Momo has to make his own birthday celebration: he's sixteen in the movie, so it's legal for him to go with one of the ladies. His sexual initiation is sweet too, simple, not saccharine. His father is always comparing him unfavorably with a missing older brother Popol ("Paulie") who was bookish. But Popol didn't have to do the shopping and fix dinner as Momo has to because his mother has left them. Momo doesn't remember Popol. Monsieur Ibrahim says he likes Momo 100 times better than Popol. Later it seems Popol never really existed. . .

It's hard to describe this film - which the 71-year-old Omar Sharif came out of retirement to star in and persuaded François Dupeyron to direct. It's a delicate thing, gossamer light, yet unforgettable. To tell its story is to break a butterfly upon a wheel. As in Manuel Pradal's 1997 Marie Baie des Anges, which also has a classic, mythic quality, its evocation of period is effortless. Both films exist in a Fifties or Sixties time that's all the more pungent because never broadcast -- except through irresistible period music. The little lessons M. Ibrahim teaches Moïse ("I know what is in my Koran") may seem clichéd. The stark and exotic direction the story takes later on in its 85 minutes may seem incongruous after the classic Frenchness of the opening scenes. But the movie conveys its mood and period with a deft simplicity no American director would be capable of. When a New Wave movie scene is shot in the street with Brigitte Bardot (reincarnated a bit incongruously, but vividly, by neo-diva Isabelle Adjani), it's a blissful moment of déja vu.

This film achieves its perfection by not seeming to try, with tossed off gestures: Ibrahim giving Momo cat food to pass off as a terrine de compagne for his dad with stale bread and cheap wine to dilute his Beaujolais so he won't complain about the cost; Momo smashing his piggy bank for the 35 francs to pay the prostitute; a group of men suddenly appearing around Ibrahim at a cafe table in Turkey.

Dad disappears after getting fired, leaving his savings on the table. Momo is undaunted. He plays soccer in the street with his schoolmates, learns to dance outside with the Jewish girl across the way, and continues his life lessons from Monsieur Ibrahim, who senses something wrong.

Ibrahim is grizzled, with bad teeth, but his outlook on life is beautiful. Momo has a singular grace; he seems to float across the screen, a delicate presence. He's pretty, he's cocky but vulnerable; he's light on his feet. When Ibrahim buys him a new pair of shoes, he twirls and flies through the air. The film itself skips along at first, then takes on a real-time slowness.

Ibrahim adopts Momo, buys a red sports car for cash, and drives through Greece and Albania to Turkey and his ancient home, where he leaves Momo by the road to go ahead, crashes the car, and dies in a house stacked full of kilims. These events turn the film toward the feel of a fable, something, perhaps, by some Moroccan novelist writing in singing, biblical French.

Earlier (but at this point in the book) Momo's mother comes looking for him, but he poses as a boy housepainter named Mohammed. He is already playing at being the "Arab" on the street, which is what he becomes, inheriting Ibrahim's store and all his wealth, choosing to live the rest of his life with a gentle irony by Ibrahim's motto, "Slowness [la lenteur] is the key to life."

There may be a little too much "lenteur," but many things make this movie sing: its lightness, the flow of the editing, the beauty of the photography, the charm of Sharif and Boulanger. There's a scene of whirling dervishes toward the end of the two guys' odyssey that's not like anything else you've seen in the movies. The camerawork is simple, handheld, timeless yet evocative of the period; the tones are fresh and saturated. There's an early shot of Momo in a red shirt standing in the window with a flowered curtain that's unforgettable. The color!

Thanks to Omar Sharif for getting this project made. There are moments in Monsieur Ibrahim, especially during the first half hour, that have that blessed rightness shared only by cinematic classics.

Likely to be one of the year's best.

One of the best movy I have recently seen

[michel-crolais · 7/10 · 11 January 2006]

What a refreshing movie that must contribute to a better understanding between men of diverse religious beliefs. And how great is Omar Sharif's interpretation. We are pleased with the amount of good sentiments. The kindness of this old man toward Momo, the teenager abandoned to himself by his father, who stoles goods to survive in Mr. Ibrahim's grocer's shop, this one closing their eyes on the act that he has well seen, is very moving. When Momo's father disappears, then dies, Mr. Ibrahim treats the young Momo as his child. It his a true hymn to the human fraternity. Overall, the realization is very sensitive and very light. The atmosphere of the district of Paris is particularly well described. It seems to me that this movie is a great one, on a theme very near of the one used on another very good movie: Madame Rosa (Moshe Mizrahi – 1977) played by Simone Signoret.

Witty, melancholic, funny, full of love and life

[Ihad · 9/10 · 5 August 2004]

Seldom do I buy the book because I saw the movie. I did this time around and the book is even better than the movie albeit a bit too short, although throughout the book, you will always see Omar Sharif as Ibrahim.

I went to see this without knowing too much about it and from the very beginning it succeeded in drawing me right into Rue Bleu, it was as if I could almost smell it, feel it, touch it. Why? Because we care for the characters, we feel with them, through them. Omar Sharif is just stellar as Monsieur Ibrahim and carries the story with such an ease that it is a delight to watch.

One of the most powerful scenes for me was when Ibrahim confronts Momo about the stealing. There are more but I do not want to spoil it for you. "Ibrahim" is an emotional journey that you have to be willing to make. If you do you will be well rewarded.

Highly recommendable. 9/10

Is is legal ?

[aktowfik · 7/10 · 23 August 2006]

Great movie, but the big question here is: Is it legal to involve the kid protagonist in a relatively sexually explicit scene with Anne Suarez ?.. In Exorcist, there was a body double for Linda Blair in her explicit scenes, but there is no such thing here. As regards the movie, I feel it is the same tune of Zorpa the Greek played in another form. Being Muslim, I think the script writer knows nothing about Quran and Islam. Omar Sheriff talks more like a Buddhist monk than a Muslim Sheikh. However, such errors don't deny the great beauty and the great tolerance message delivered by the movie. It gives U enough time to think and meditate.

A Drama of Perfect Excellence

[dhaufrect · 10/10 · 5 February 2007]

Francois Dupeyron has directed a masterpiece in cinematic excellence. Don't miss this very compelling drama. "Monsieur Ibrahim" has a performance by Omar Sharif that extends his dramatic displays far better than any since "Dr. Zhivago". His costar is Pierre Boulanger who plays Moses also called Momo in the film. Moses is only 16 and is being raised by his depressed Jewish father who reprimands Momo constantly. Momo or Moses becomes enamored by the proprietor of the neighborhood grocery across the street. He is also enamored by the young street walkers in the same location on Blue Road. The first encounter is with Anne Suarez who plays Sylvie the young, blond prostitute who initiates him into her world. His most interesting relationship is with Monsieur Ibrahim who persistently repeats the importance of the Koran in his own life. The eventual adoption of Momo, and their adventurous trip to Turkey is as beautiful a story as one can imagine. Be sure to add this one to your must see list.

Contrived and inorganic

[howard.schumann · 6/10 · 21 March 2004]

In François Dupeyron's Monsieur Ibrahim, a Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Film, a weak script does an injustice to the considerable talents of veteran actor Omar Sharif and expressive newcomer Pierre Boulanger. Set in the Rue Bleue section of Paris in 1963, a home to working class Jews and prostitutes, the film celebrates the friendship between Monsieur Ibrahim (Sharif), an elderly Muslim grocer, and Momo (Boulanger), a 15-year old Jewish teenager, but the relationship feels contrived and inorganic. Momo's father (Gilbert Melki) is a depressed Holocaust survivor and the boy's only friends are the prostitutes that line the streets outside of his home, and Myriam, a freckled redhead Jewish girl who lives in the same building but is not ready for his advances. Momo, however, is incongruously brimming with self-confidence and an upbeat disposition that belies his troubled home life. Underscored by a brassy soundtrack and 60s rock music, he breaks his childhood piggy bank and becomes initiated by a prostitute named Sylvie (Anne Suarez), a buxom blonde whom he tells he is sixteen.

As the boy's father continues to antagonize his son by comparing him unfavorably to his estranged brother Paulie, the Arab grocer down the street takes on the role of a father substitute. The wise and kindly Ibrahim overlooks Momo's stealing from him and encourages the teenager to read The Koran, his holy book, expounding religious-based epigrams that, despite Sharif's charismatic presence, sound forced and pedantic. We do not learn much about Ibrahim's personal life except that he was once married and is a Sufi, a mystical offshoot of Islam. Seemingly out of character, he shows no compassion for Momo's troubled father, advising the boy to feed his father cat food, pretending it is paté and gives him stale bread to take home for dinner. He also overcharges actress Brigitte Bardot (Isabelle Adjani), who is in the neighborhood to make a film, to make up for all the things that Momo has stolen.

When Momo's father abandons him, leaving him a note telling him that he wasn't "cut out to be a father," the boy doesn't shed a tear, and also rejects his mother who comes looking for him after a fifteen-year absence. Instead, Ibrahim "adopts" the boy, buying him a brand new red convertible, and taking him to his homeland in Turkey. The journey becomes a travelogue, with scenes of dusty hills that look as if they were lifted from an Abbas Kiarostami film. When they reach Istanbul, Ibrahim takes the boy to an Orthodox church, a Catholic church, and a Muslim mosque where he walks blindfolded so he can "open his senses," and watches the famous Whirling Dervishes, a mystical dance performed by Muslim priests in a prayer trance to Allah. Sadly, he is not also taken to a Jewish synagogue.

Although Ibrahim is a Sufi, the only discussion of Sufism is a dictionary reference to an "inner religion that is not legalistic." There is no discussion of why Sufism is unique, nor is there any dialogue between the two friends about the tenets of each other's faith. Indeed, the film ignores the close connection between Sufi mystical traditions and the Jewish Cabala, and the fact that Turkey was one of the few countries that provided a sanctuary for Jews escaping from Nazi oppression during the 1940s. While Monsieur Ibrahim is not without its charming moments, I found it ultimately unsatisfying, and was angered that the boy turns away from his own religion without giving a second thought to his heritage or his father who suffered through the Holocaust. Dupeyron said that he wanted to make a film about tolerance and bringing people together, yet he settles for a sentimentality that fails to enhance our understanding of either religion or forward a reconciliation of two great cultures.

Simple and Warm

[choden · 10/10 · 27 October 2004]

Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran is a lovely film with great moments and triumphant performances of veteran Omar Sharif and young and promising Pierre Boulanger. In my opinion, what makes this film so important is its simplicity and sincerity. Most of the recent examples of modern French cinema are suffering from flamboyance and Monsieur Ibrahim is an exception. The film delightfully combines a new perspective to love, self identification, and empathy with magnificent acting skills and impressing cinematography. As a Buddhist myself, I've always found Safi ways interesting and this film presents a brief summary of this way of belief besides the touchy 'journey' theme. Religious motives are humanistic and the director carefully avoids any kind of religious propaganda. Instead, the audience watches the journeys of two men, from different ages and different cultural backgrounds. Ibrahim and Moses meet in Blue Rue which is a chaotic place for a 16 old boy to be. Both has a lot to teach each other and share. Abandoned and broken hearted Moses searches a way out through his teenage life full of growing pains, whereas Ibrahim, the immigrant who fell apart from his country searches a way out with the guidance of his beliefs and longings. Dialogues between Moses and Ibrahim are mind nourishing. Side characters are also memorable regarding Anne Suarez's performance as Sylvie and Lola Naymark's performance as Myriam that are truly remarkable.

okay movie with unusual sensibilities

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 26 November 2005]

The first half of the movie was not especially compelling--especially since so much of this concerns a very young appearing 16 year-old boy and his experiences in procuring prostitutes. While this may or may not bother the sensibilities of French audiences, I found it awfully sleazy and unengaging. The kid appeared about 13 or 14 and scenes such as him breaking open his piggy bank to get enough for a trick were quite strange.

The second half of the movie, in contrast, was a sweet and engaging story about the young man and his relationship with a shopkeeper (Omar Sharif). When the boy's father dies, Sharif adopts the boy and takes him on a long road trip to his homeland of Turkey. The acting is good and the story unusual enough that it is worth a look.

Nice movie - simple and moving!

[lyrxsf · 8/10 · 23 January 2005]

I like the simplicity of this movie. No expensive sets, no complicated dialog, no beautiful stars. The co-dependence of youth and old age is beautiful. The young boy learns how to smile and win. His estrangement from his father and his new found lust for sex have been effectively captured. The old man makes peace with his impending death. The movie has some pearls of wisdom. Its a never ending cycle - all rivers flow into the sea - into the immensity. Its not what you get, its what you give that makes you rich. And no one can take those riches away from you. I wish more reel had been spent on the car drive from France to Turkey, instead of just showing some clouds floating by.

Fairy tale in Paris

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 13 March 2004]

This film could only have been made in France because in any other country it would have been very difficult to find any backer for this foolish tale about tolerance and friendship.

Francois Dupeyron, its director, wants us believe this young man, Momo, living with a distant and sick father, wakes up one day with the firm purpose of losing his virginity with anyone of the prostitutes he watches from his balcony. The cliche of finding the 'putaine' with a heart of gold, who will give Momo a beautiful experience in the sack, materializes in the form of Sylvie, a woman who knows a thing or two about young French men with very high libido.

When the father deserts him, Momo, is left alone to fend for himself. In comes M. Ibrahim, a Muslim grocer who can see inside the young man's head and becomes his mentor. Then, the film turns into a road movie. It seems very unlikely that these two souls would ever embark in this adventure that turns badly at the end.

Omar Sharif, who played some romantic leads in the early part of his career, doesn't have much to do. As Momo, Pierre Boulanger, kept reminding this viewer as a teen age version of Alain Delon. He has good looks and hopefully he will find another vehicle to make a name for himself in the near future.

Duplicity at the Movies

[thinker1691 · 4/10 · 12 July 2005]

" Monsieur Ibrahim " is a touching film which tells the tale of Moses, played by Pierra Boulanger, a 14 year old Jewish boy living in Paris during the 1960'. Abandoned to the ambivalent care of his father by an equally absent mother, Moses strays into the world of the Teenager and yearns to enjoy his budding maturity. Befriended by 'the Arab' played by Omar Sharif, who is a Muslim, the innocent teen is instructed, advised and counseled on the secrets of life. Somewhere between the Koran and the amorous attentions of Parisian prostitutes, the boy learns that shoplifting and sex are incidental. What is confusing is the fact the director and his film were not attacked, burned, vilified and morally assaulted by outraged Feminist groups from European countries and America. Had this film been about a fourteen year old girl, having sex with a half dozen adults, then befriended by a foreign older man who then adopts, and takes her East, Christian groups would have assailed it as child pornography. But as it was a boy, the film garners little of their attention and slips quietly into film history as a blending of cultures and the honoring of a special tradition