SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

Absolutely Fantastic

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This movie is billed as a warm, feel good movie. The Omar Sharif character is kindly, but the lead character, Momo, a boy in his early teens, has the emotional rug suddenly and catastrophicallly yanked out from under him five times in the movie. He handles this with relative aplomb, but as a viewer I was left gasping.You would think a movie about a single older man who befriends a young teen and takes him to the steam bath and gives him money would necessarily have sexual overtones, but it just never comes up. The movie is set in a more innocent time. There is plenty of sex in the movie, but all heterosexual.

The setting is a lower-class Jewish neighborhood in Paris in the 1960s. The story revolves around the relationship between Moses (Pierre Boulanger), a teenage Jewish boy, and Ibrahim Denejia (Omar Sharif), a neighboring Sufi grocer. Ibrahim is referred to as "The Arab" by the locals, even though he is Turkish. Moses (called Momo) has had a difficult childhood--his mother abandoned him and his father is remote and finally deserts him as well. So, Momo is in need of some caring adult, and that is where Ibrahim comes in. The gradual affection between the two is played nicely with Ibrahim ultimately adopting Momo.This is coming of age story for Momo. One thing that sets it apart is the religious element, since Ibrahim is a Muslim and Momo is a Jew. However, from what we see Momo is a Jew by birth only since his religion does not appear to play a role is his life. Ibrahim often talks of "his Koran" as containing all the knowledge he needs; he dispenses some gentle philosophy as the film progresses. Clearly it is the intent to show that affection and love can surmount cultural and religious differences and the movie generally succeeds in that.The soundtrack has a lot popular music from the 1960s (and even some from the 1950s like "Rock Around the Clock.") The dance fad "The Madison" from the 1950s and 1960s also plays a part as we see Momo's girlfriend teaching it to him. The music does liven things up a bit in a movie that can be slow.The last third of the movie stretches belief which is too bad since a more powerful effect could have been had by playing it straight. Beyond being unbelievable, there is a scene that did not make sense to me where Ibrahim temporarily abandons Momo in Turkey, a strange country with a strange language for him. The last third of the movie does contain some beautiful scenery in Turkey.It is the performances of Sharif and Boulanger that make this worth watching. Sharif's performance is that of an actor who identifies with the role to the point that you are not aware of him as an actor, but rather as Ibrahim. Boulanger has a winning screen presence--for his first time out he is remarkably relaxed and believable.

Well this movie is a bit boring and going in my eyes to nowhere, an old man just makes friends with allowing a child to steal. Making a journey to Turkey and dieing there...in between the adolescent boy gets to do with whores (I think to make the movie a bit more interesting?!? But what disturbes me the most is how a Muslim guy is shown here...drinking and selling alcohol, selling food at a higher price to compensate the loss that he's done by letting the boy steal, flirting with women, lying to others to obtain a car, giving ideas to a boy to lie to his own father...nothing to do with a real Muslim, sufi or not, these things aren't tolerated what so ever!!!! So if you watch this movie please don't see a Muslim like this...

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.