Popular reviews

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  Review by Jacob ★★★★½ 3

  "Some people find it difficult to apologize."

  What at first glance looks like a second-rate A Separation is so much bigger. Where Farhadi thrives in low-stakes character drama, Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri builds everything as big as possible. What starts out as a simple dispute over plumbing evolves into a matter of pride -- one man too prideful to apologize, and the other too prideful to back down. It's about image now, and to lose even this small battle would be shameful. Quickly, though, this grows from a conflict between two men one between two families, and then, just as quickly, one between two ethnicities. The reputation of the Palestinian people now depends on the pettiness of men, and it's…

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  Review by Allison M. 🌱 @ SXSW ‘23 ★★★★

  Props to this film for having top directing and acting along with going deep into the characters' psyches to explore their relationships and actions. Ziad Doueiri always offers a fresh take on what I've seen him direct so far. 

  This is the 117th film I've seen using Movie Pass. 

  This is Lebanon's submission to the Oscars this year for Best Foreign Language Film.

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  Review by solstrale ★★★★ 2

  "The Insult" is a heavily political movie. It is about clash of ideas of Lebanese Christians and Palestinian Muslims which is represented by two leads. It is about refugees and civil war victims. It focuses on ego, bias and hatred. The film basically tells us words can be as dangerous as actions. At first, things seem personal, but then everything becomes political and national as things start to escalate and spin out of control. I was surprised how thrilling and suspenseful the courtroom scenes were. There weren't any dull moments, at all. I had no idea about how politics worked in Lebanon before watching it. Thanks to this movie, I got to learn about different attitudes emerging in Lebanon. I need to get it out of my chest that it was really heartbreaking to see how people did side against each other because of their nationality and religion though.

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  Review by Wael Koubeissy ★★ 9

  قبل الإدلاء بدلوي عن الفيلم، لا بد من الإشارة والتذكير أن زياد الدويري مطبّع حقير، صور فيلماً في إسرائيل (الصدمة، ٢٠١٢) بطاقم إسرائيلي ضاربًا بعرض الحائط القوانين اللبنانية التي تدين التطبيع، ثم عاد إلى لبنان يتباكى على الحريات والإبداع السينمائي ودعمته زمرة لوبي التطبيع في لبنان، هؤلاء يشبهون بطله، تكرههم إلى أبعد الحدود وأنت مضطر إلى التعايش معهم.
  الفيلم منحاز لليمين المسيحي المقيت، يمجّد بشير الجميل (الذي وصل إلى رئاسة الجمهورية اللبنانية على الدبابة الإسرائيلية واغتالته اليدان المباركتان لحبيب الشرتوني) واليمين المسيحي اللبناني قذر إلى أبعد الحدود (كما معظم الأحزاب اللبنانية لكن لا أحد يعلو عنصرية وكراهية على اليمين المسيحي)، كان اليمين المسيحي قبل الحرب الأهلية يحتقر كل ما هو غير مسيحي، كان زعماؤه يكرهون الفلسطينيين والعرب والعروبة وجمال عبد…

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  Review by Daniel Paucar ★★★

  Top 5 insultos que tendrán más peso en generaciones futuras 
  Esta película más que hacerme disfrutar casi produce que me arranque los pelos de la rabia, me pareció tremendo como de una situación tan aparentemente simple y cotidiana se llega a desatar todo un revuelo ideológico y político en toda la nación del Líbano, pero no podía sacarme de la cabeza que tan sencillo hubiese sido que hiciesen las paces desde un inicio, supongo el orgullo puede más en cierto contexto.
  La fluidez con la que suceden los hechos la hacen demasiado entretenida de ver, en particular no hubo ningún momento en que perdiese el interés en seguir viéndola. Las actuaciones aportan positivamente en tomarse en serio las posibles consecuencias…

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  Review by Enfant du Siècle ★★★

  A small dispute between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee turns into an intense legal case of national interest that exposes the social fractures resulting from the Lebanese Civil War. The Insult presents a reflection on hatred, pride, resentment, and differences that divide humankind whilst revealing the open wounds of a nation that is also embedded in the complex and visceral reality of the Middle East that is constantly exacerbated by religious and ethnic conflicts. Although this is a parable with a fluid pace and moments of tension, as well as the commendable intention of opening a dialogue that leads to reconciliation; in the end, it may be a little too simplistic, not very subtle, rather melodramatic, and it loses strength in the last act.

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  Review by CinemaCl🎃wn ★★★★

  A powerful, potent & provocative slice of Middle-Eastern politics, The Insult aims for an unbiased, unprejudiced & unfiltered narration of a sensitive subject matter and delivers a gripping story that's seething with rage resulting from the absence of closure to age-old wounds.

  The story of The Insult focuses on an ongoing trial between a Lebanese Christian & a Palestinian refugee after their heated argument blows out of proportion and turns into a media circus. But the national attention the trial receives thrusts the entire nation into a social unrest.

  Directed by Ziad Doueiri, tension flares from the moment our primary characters are within the same frame plus the charged atmosphere only gets more unstable as plot progresses. The scripted characters are provided sufficient…

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  Review by Vivian ★★★★ 2

  Two Male Egos outside Beirut, Lebanon

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  Review by sfsfaaz ★★★★★ 3

  العرب عندهم قدرة انهم يسوون افلام عظيمة مثل هذا الفيلم وللاسف مو دايم نشوف مثل هذي الانتاجات والافكار استمتعت بكل ثانية فيه واحتاج اشوفه مرة ثانية لانه يستاهل ينعاد

  سير الاحداث كان جميل وفيه تصادع رهيب وكيف بدأت المشكلة من سبب تافه الى مشكلة قومية ممكن بسببها تقوم حروب وتمثيل ابطال الفيلم لا يوصف خاصة دور شخصية ياسر سلامة بمشهد من المشاهد حسيت بقشعريرة والفيلم اغلبه مبني على الحوارات وكانت جبارة وفيه حكم ودروس كثير من الفيلم

  ردات الفعل كانت واقعية جدا وانحزت لطرف من الاطراف لكن لما بدأت اعرف الحقيقة اكثر والدوافع اللي سببت المشكلة تعاطفت مع الجميع ويمكن فيه طرف مخطئ اكثر وانه لكل فعل ردت فعل ولكل ردت فعل ردت فعل اخرى وما راح ننتهي الى ان نصل لاصل المشكلة وكلنا نعرف اصل المشكلة وهم اصغر من ان نذكر اسمهم لانهم بلا هوية

  "لا يحق لاحد احتكار المعاناة"

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  Review by MaryAnn 🌵 ★★★★½

  I like foreign films in general, as I enjoy experiencing other cultures and viewpoints. I loved this because in addition to what was just mentioned, it taught me so much about the politics and religious strife in Lebanon. I was totally clueless. So thank you, The Insult, for being entertaining, morally rich, and informative!

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  Review by BK ★★ 1

  This gets the nomination

  BPM doesn’t make the shortlist

  How come, Academy?

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  Review by London ★★★★

  Listen to my podcast on any of the following platforms: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify.

  The Insult was way more nuanced in it's portrayal of the race relations between natively born Lebanese people and Palestinian refugees, while being an extremely compelling film. There is quite a lot of love poured into this film, but it is the two lead actors, Adel Karam and Kamel El Basha that make this movie what it is. Their performances are brilliant, and Adel Karam is able to execute the incredibly hard task of making a character compelling while also being undeniably evil, at least for quite a big chunk of the film.

  The courtroom scenes are my favorite. When a courtroom drama can…