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Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat ... see more see more... , Joseph Ziegler , Amer Hlehel , Selena Haddad , Jenna Kawar , Suheila Muallem , Brodie Sanderson , Andrew Sannie , Daniel Boiteau , Jeff Sutton , Miriam Smith , Glen Thompson , Mike O'Brien

A Palestinian single mother and her son resettle in the American Midwest with bittersweet results, in first-time director Cherien Dabis' gentle fish-out-of-water comedy drama Amreeka. Nisreen Faour st... read more read more...ars as divorcée Mouna, a resident of the West Bank who works as a local bank manager while raising her 16-year-old son, Fadi (Melkar Muallem), on the side. Each day, the two must put their lives in jeopardy by driving through potentially lethal Middle Eastern checkpoints to accomplish their daily business, but their situation changes dramatically when Mouna finally succeeds at getting a green card. The two fly from Jerusalem to Chicago, but get a bitter taste of the reality behind the American dream when the customs department claims the money that Mouna wrapped in a cookie tin, leaving her penniless. The nascent immigrants promptly move in with Mouna's sister, Raghda (Hiam Abbass of Lemon Tree), and her family, and Mouna sets about trying to find a bank job in the U.S. that is equivalent to her old position at home; unfortunately, this proves impossible and she ends up serving "sliders" at a White Castle fast food franchise and earning minimum wage. Meanwhile, Fadi begins attending a local high school and runs headfirst into not-so-subtle racism and the imminent threat of nativistic violence. ~ Rovi

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72% liked it

2,871 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

69 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Cherien Dabis

Release Date: September 4, 2009

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DVD Release Date: January 12, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (298)

  • moonrivers
    April 7, 2012
    moonrivers
    A stealth political piece about a Palestinian family's rough immigration to heartland America, effectively put across by a lovable cast. Here is a writer/director to watch.
  • romy861
    October 29, 2011
    romy861
    I was kind of "meh" with this one. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I guess from the cover I expected more of a comedy.. and it is kind of funny.... but not too as it deals with a serious topic. It probably works better in the more serious parts, but I felt like I didn't real... read morely connect too well with any of it. The cast are good and you do hope to see them do well, but by the end of the film I was glad to see it finish too. Not really sure what the problem was exactly. And the pipe smoking really put me off at the end as well as it seemed irresponsible with all the kids at the table (just a little pet hate of mine!). Don't know... maybe worth a watch on tv for free, but not one to seek out.
  • paulsandberg
    October 28, 2011
    paulsandberg
    In Amreeka, we have an Indie film that explores the well trod ground and fish out of water scenario of someone from a foreign land moving to America. In this case the script has some merit as it shows a Palestinian mother and son who put up with the daily travails of getting fro... read morem the west bank into Jerusalem where they reside with grandma.

    When the opportunity arises to journey to Illinois, the son, a gifted private school student, jumps at the chance, and while his mother is a bit more reticent, having a well paying job, finally acquiesces after an incident occurs involving her son and a border agent.

    Of course once they get to Illinois, where mom's sister is living with a successful doctor, reality sets in, and we find, as usual, that things can never live up to our expectations. Adding tension to the mix is the post 911 fallout, where anyone looking "Arab" is shunned.

    There is a certain empathy to be seen here, though I've seen this type of film before and seen it better (The Kite Runner for example). The filming is very straight forward, and shot with whatever light was available (which gives much of the film a very "home movie" feel to it). The narrative is linear, and on the whole gives you an "ordinary day in the life" attitude, although at times you feel led on a leash as the narrative tries to shoehorn the message and events become just a bit too convenient.

    The performance of Nisreen Faour as the mother is a good one, as she maintains a certain inner strength that comes through the lens well. Her son, played by Melkar Muallem is also well played, and in all, in spite of some obvious Indie conventions and the fact that the film is really showing us nothing groundbreaking, does manage to mildly entertain through its less than 100 minute run time, although I cringed at the obvious male attraction, savior to the rescue aspect of the school principal - even while applauding his acceptance, not only for her race, but her, shall we say, overly abundant figure.
  • hunterjt13
    August 9, 2011
    hunterjt13
    "Is it true you work at White Castle, Auntie?"
    "Yes."
    "You could have at least chosen Wendy's."
    A Palestinian single mother journeys to Illinois with her teenage son, and they encounter anti-Arab racism and financial difficulties.
    In many of my reviews, I stay focused on story co... read morenstruction, but Amreeka made me remember that in films we spend two hours getting to know a group of people. Many of the people here, especially Mouna, played by Nisreen Faour, are simply delightful human beings with whom I'm very happy spending time. Even the surly and displaced Raghda, Mouna's sister, has her moments, and it's easy to understand the roots of her anger.
    Also, I, along with many others, can write until our fingers turn purple about the plights of the Palestinian people, but Amreeka shows how getting across town, all the while being treated with suspicion, becomes so oppressive and dehumanizing that one is compelled to merely stay at home if one is lucky enough to have one, or in this case, flee.
    The film's weakness is its story construction. The film examines many issues - among them, anti-Arab racism, anti-Muslim xenophobia, teenage rebellion, classism, body image issues, etc. - and I don't expect each of these to be wrapped up in a pretty bow, but what the film offers seems blissfully ignorant after it dealt with complexity so deftly just a few moments before.
    Overall, Amreeka has some remarkably likable characters, people whom I'd love to introduce you to; we'll spend the day eating falafel burgers at White Castle.
  • itsjustme2004
    October 14, 2010
    itsjustme2004
    Good movie. It's a very interesting look at what Arabian families had to deal with here after 9/11. It couldn't have been easy for them with all the hatred for Muslims back then. Muslim or not, they all were looked at as the same...people we didn't want here. Nicely done story
  • neverteaseaweasel
    February 8, 2010
    neverteaseaweasel
    This movie is certainly entertaining to watch, and rather flawlessly deals with a rather touchy subject. However, it really left me cold. I really cannot force myself to care about what happens to Muna and Fadi. Besides, it certainly appears that they live happily ever after. The... read more End. Idk, it seemed pretty light and humorous. That was a unique touch. Realyl, think about everything you have ever seen, read, or heard about Iranian immigration. it generally isn't that cheerful. Granted, the movie shows some hardships, but overall it seems pretty optimistic and sweet. I thought that was really a nice touch, but it is not enough to save the film. It not even so much that Amreeka is a bad movie. There are just not enough aspects worthy of praise to really call it a good movie. Still, it is light entertainment with quite a lot of heart. That has got to count for something.
  • gator681
    December 14, 2010
    gator681
    In "Amreeka," Muna(Nisreen Faour), a divorced bank employee in the West Bank, learns her long forgotten American visa application has been approved. At first, reluctant to follow through and leave her family behind, she changes her mind in order to give her teenaged son Fadi(Mel... read morekar Muallem) a better chance at life and a college in the States. They have the bad luck to arrive to stay with Muna's sister Raghda(Hiam Abbass) in Illinois just as the American invasion of Iraq is kicking into high gear in 2003. That adversely affects the medical practice of Nadeel(Yussuf Abu-Warda), Raghda's husband. So, Muna and Fadi could have definitely used the $2500 they lost at customs...

    With a couple of contrivances and little story to speak of, "Amreeka" still manages to be an engaging movie that nails the immigrant experience by depicting it as adjusting to a new country while resisting the pulls of the old country. While immigrants may therefore feel like they do not have a country to call their own, the same could certainly also be said of residents of the West Bank.(I hate the wall but I love the graffiti.) And without condescension, the movie also captures the best and worst that small town life has to offer.
  • Nutterjr
    September 25, 2010
    Nutterjr
    Dabis is lucky to have such a wonderful cast on the debut film as director But this story about post 9/11 xenophobic America feels patchy at times and does not avoid the trap of introducing Hollywood-esque feel-good moments in an otherwise strong drama.
  • BlueTorch
    September 20, 2009
    BlueTorch
    [29th Atlantic Film Festival]

    An immigrant's story of a Palestinian single mom and her teenage son arrive in rural Illinois to escape a life of oppression, only to face the fallout from America's war on Iraq.

    Wow, as heavy as the synopsis sounds, this is one of the most uplifti... read moreng movies I've seen all year. Mona and her family all face hardships adjusting to life and prejudice in America, from schoolyard bullying to prejudicial patients. Through all the negatives, they manage to pull through and persevere as a family.

    Walking into Amreeka, it sounded like a movie I'd seen plenty of times. What makes it succeed is Nisreen Faour in the starring role as Mona - she's bursting with so much energy, innocence, and sincerity that it is impossible not to like her. Highly recommended and a lot of fun to watch
  • ileo
    August 6, 2010
    ileo
    Interesting movie. Great story plot that centralizes around the lives and experiences of a mother and her son. It is right before the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, and those who are middle eastern, and/or of Muslim faith are being discriminated. Tired of the daily exhaust... read moreive routine in traveling from home to work and back again, Mouna (still feeling the betrayal of her husband's departure) decides to listen to her son: travel to the U.S. to make a better way of life. Uncertain, but she agrees and puts her mother in the care of her brother. In the U.S., Mouna and Fadi stays with Raghda (Mouna's sister) and her family. In his new school, Fadi is abruptly introduced to the blind ignorance and wayward opinions of some of his fellow classmates. He depends upon his cousin sister Salma to defend him which she does in her own peculiar ways. Mouna seeing the tension of those in the community and that of her sister, she is set on finding employment but cannot find work so she takes a position at a White Castle location. It is there that she makes a new friend, Matt. Adjusting to this new life, Mouna befriends Mr. Novatski and helps to bridge and alleviate the tension in her sister's home.
    Great cast- Nisreen Faour, Hiam Abbass, Melkar Muallem, Joseph Ziegler, Yussuf Abu-Warda, and Alia Shawkat. Worth seeing!

View All Amreeka Reviews

Critic Reviews

Andrea Gronvall
December 18, 2009
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader

Writer-director Cherien Dabis too easily resolves or dismisses the characters' problems, making way for an upbeat ending. Full Review

Liam Lacey
October 30, 2009
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

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 xenoph... Full Review

Linda Barnard
October 30, 2009
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

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. Full Review

Colin Covert
October 15, 2009
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

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. Full Review

Richard Nilsen
October 14, 2009
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic

A good-hearted film about the resilience of the human spirit. Full Review

Roger Moore
October 2, 2009
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

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 w... Full Review

Christopher Kelly
September 25, 2009
Christopher Kelly, Dallas Morning News

You keep rooting for these characters, even as the plot takes a series of broad and overly familiar turns.

Steven Rea
September 24, 2009
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Although the drama heads on a predictable course, Faour brings intelligence and humor to her performance and Muallem, as the smart adolescent turned surly and scared, is likewise sharp. Full Review

Wesley Morris
September 24, 2009
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe

This sensitively made movie is more than dim Americans making terrorist jokes. It's one of the richer movies you're likely to see about average Arabs in America. Full Review

Walter V. Addiego
September 18, 2009
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle

This could be rough going, but Cherien Dabis' Amreeka tells this immigrants' tale with some humor and only a dash of political correctness. Full Review

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