Ghadi (2013) User Reviews

A milestone in Lebanese cinema

[umar-hashmi · 8/10 · 18 December 2013]

Beautiful and vibrant, it is very well directed and shot. Ghadi is a must-watch, and that too in the cinema! George Khabbaz is as good on the big screen as he is on stage. The cast manages to give hearty performances, portraying Khabbaz's beautiful, magical little story in a very believable way. The script of the movie is brilliant and for once, not about the civil war nor a sermon on the Lebanese society. The plot simple and honest, and keeps you on the edge of your seat in anticipation and excitement. Not to mention Emmanuelle Khairallahs touching performance. Expect laughs, cries, gasps and claps from fellow movie-goers if you are watching this in the cinema. Take a bow Ghadi, you have broken the norms and taken Lebanese cinema forward!

Beaming with spirit and charm

[tinybirds · 8/10 · 17 June 2015]

A film that is absolutely brimming with heart, director Amin Dora's Ghadi (2013) is a delight to both the eyes and the spirit. It tells the story of El Mshakkal, a gossipy little Lebanese village, through the detailed flashbacks and narrative of its resident music teacher, Leba. Growing up in this small community, where everyone is in everyone else's business, Leba is exceedingly familiar with the community members' quirks and shortcomings. There's Elias the barber, who cunningly pretends he doesn't charge far too much for his haircuts. Elias the butcher sneaks just a little too much fat into his high-priced lean minced meats. A statue of Saint Elias, El Mshakkal's patron saint, watches from atop a church over the village where half of the residents are aptly named Elias in reverence and so hilariously respond in unison when the name is called out. These charmingly idiosyncratic details contribute to exceptional character foundations for a notably large cast that will eventually build on each individual seamlessly. The casting is exquisite, each actor fitting superbly into their role for an awesome ensemble and begetting flawless character development. Writer and actor Georges Khabbaz as Leba is splendidly unassuming, subtly reactive, and easily relatable. When Leba and his childhood sweetheart wife Lara become the parents of a boy with special needs who wails melodically from a window overlooking El Mshakkal's main street, the whole town is in an uproar. To avoid having to send away his beloved son at the behest of the townspeople, Leba devises a plan that taps into the collective superstition of his deeply Catholic neighbors: to convince them that Ghadi is an angel who wails when they err.

This is Dora's full feature debut and proves that he is definitely a directorial force to keep an eye on. Rich, earthy tones gives way to celestial colors that glow with lots of luminous whites as the film develops its angelic story. The setting is quaint, rustic, and clean giving a warmth and candor to this film that suits its storyline perfectly. Khabbaz's screenplay is character focused, which again is fantastic, yet left the dramatic curve of the film overall just a touch lacking. Viewers feared very little that Leba and his cohorts would be caught in their trickery, as the film was more focused on the successes than the threats, on helping and bridging rather than tearing down or apart. The ultimate point of this story is one of goodness, connectivity, and inclusivity. I would liked to have seen even more development of Ghadi and his relationship to his family to give more weight to the appropriately taken- for-granted value of his existence and his place in the family. It seemed this element was somewhat lost as the scheme to keep him at home progressed and the message of community support took overt precedence. Yet, I would have watched these lovely people and lived as a fly on the wall in this charming world forever, so the slight shortfall of dramatic crescendo easily takes a back seat to the overall visually enthralling, richly developed, thoroughly heartwarming movie as a whole.

Ghadi is a sweet story that is a pleasure to watch and whose effect is both humorous and uplifting. It presents a unique vision with enough of that familiar quality of home to make contact with almost anyone. It's invigorating to see such evident talent and relatability finding its way into Lebanese film. I'm excitedly looking forward to what other sorts of novel story lines and richly endearing worlds Georges Khabbaz and Amin Dora will create for us in the future. If you're looking for an engaging and heartening journey to a far away place that is sentimentally rooted in home and community, look no farther than the beaming, ethereal world of Ghadi.

A Heartwarming Movie Worth Watching

[bibj92 · 8/10 · 22 July 2015]

Although beautifully directed, it is definitely George Khabbaz's movie. Anyone who's seen any of his previous work will be able to identify his trademark. Quirky relatable characters stuck in a ridiculous plot. Every character in the village fits a different Lebanese stereotype.

Seeing that type of character portrayal was kind of magical in its own way (as a Lebanese). Khabbaz's characters just brought out the extreme of every character trope without making it feel like their presence was forced down our throats (which is the case with most Lebanese movies and T.V. shows). One of the most enjoyable aspects of this movie is learning about the characters, and understanding how flawed they really are.

At the time of its release, Ghadi really did feel like an exceptional movie. It stood out because Lebanese cinema has reached a point where the only acclaimed movies being released were oriented around events related to the civil war. Ghadi reminded us that we are still capable of enjoying a sappy movie.

My only complaint is that the movie became over-invested with Leba's struggle to keep Ghadi's story going. Which frustrated me. That's the reason for the 7 star rating.

All in all, this movie hits you straight in the heart. If you're interested in Lebanon, Ghadi is a great chance for you to experience a truly comical aspect of village life in Lebanon.

Beautiful masterpiece with a beautiful message.

[CallEmLikeISeeEm · 10/10 · 20 May 2015]

Rarely do I walk into a movie and come out speechless. I did with Ghadi, and so did my best friend who I went with.

This movie is set in a predominantly Christian quartier in Lebanon, where people -and attitudes- stay the same. The protagonist, Leba (Georges Khabbaz), is a simple music teacher. As with every young Arab, he's traditionally expected to marry and to get a baby boy. After two daughters, he finally has a son, but one with special needs.Can Leba persuade the neighbourhood to view his son in a positive light?

This movie tackles many themes, mainly the theme of being different (in more ways than one) in Arab society. It also deals with the hypocrisy of being judgemental despite having faults of one's own (an endemic quality in Arab society). Finally, it explores humans' endless capacity to love.

Khabbaz gives a great performance as Leba, and so does Emmanuel Khairallah as the titular character. The ensemble is amazing, no actor performs poorly. Standout characters include the greedy barber, his kind, camp and often degraded assistant Lello, and the cranky neighbour lady.

The film made me laugh, cry and smile. A great movie, great storyline, with beautiful aesthetics and an equally beautiful positive message.Definitely worth watching.

A charming feel-good gem

[calamari2 · 10/10 · 6 November 2020]

This is a little masterpiece, full of charm and wit. It made me laugh - several times - and cry. I find myself thinking about this movie the day after seeing it, it stays with you, like a rare gem in a vast sea of rubbish movies that are out there. One of the best movies I have seen in a while.