Why did the critics not like this film?

Ikr this movie is so good

I've seen various movies with some of the elements in this movie before. However, this one had it's own unique combination of devices to make it a fresh story for me. I noticed a lot of different types of elements carefully put together to make it what it is and from reading articles reviews and comments on it I am learning about some additional things in it that I otherwise wouldn't have known or recognized.

Example of something I did notice: At first during the scene of the chamber orchestra playing one obscure boring example of classical music after another, I, as a professional classical musician who tremendously enjoys great performances of classical music, found myself becoming increasingly irritated with the choice of tedious music and wondering "will this ever end?" At some point after scene, the light bulb (finally!) went off in my head and I realized "Oh, duh, the directors of this movie wanted me to identify with how Driss feels when listening to any of the better-known classical music." So, the idea is, the choices of selections at the "actual" party that went on in the fictitional world created by the movie would, of course, have been other more recognized and enjoyable classical selections, but, the directors chose the selections they did, as a caricature, to help us identify with Driss. For a musician, I was slow to catch on to this device.

Example 2: the Opera: most opera's do not open with or contain a scene with that ridiculous of a costume. The chose the extreme to make a point. (by this time I was on to the director's intent -- I can learn!) :-)

In many movies, when there is something very unrealistic going on, it turns me off. It pulls me out of the world created by the movie, the story loses credibility with me and I lose my motivation to stay emotionally invested in it. With this movie, the satire and exaggerations helped me understand how Philippe's world must have seemed to Driss. In this way the movie stood above most I have seen.

Most of the viewers probably live in a world somewhere in between Driss and Philippe. The movie was effective in helping me understand where they were coming from and appreciate their coming together and development as individuals.

I randomly chose this last night on netflix, knowing nothing about it it, and have read about certain technical devices to enhance the direction of the story that I wouldn't have thought to look for, such as: dimmer lighting and longer scenes in the beginning gradually moving toward brighter lighting and faster scenes as the movie progresses.

I am sure there are a whole lot more elements and details that were put together to support the story progression that I was unable to consciously identify.

The level of humor was to my taste -- not too subtle and not too obvious, and I was able to overcome my aversion the f- and sh- words, which is saying a lot. (although they were subtitles, and I wasn't hearing them, which might account for it.)

I really enjoy movies that major on personal growth and character development, so that may be another reason why I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are many highly popular movies that do not resonate with me. We are unique in what we resonate to. Hope this gives you some insight about why many of us enjoyed it so much.

Because they can see when a someone is putting emotional manipulation above good movie making...


'Get yourself a real dog. Any dog under 50 lbs is a cat and cats are pointless' - Ron Swanson

The Movie Critics liked it very much .It won awards, and rightly so it is a great film.


Gordon P. Clarkson

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Because critics are pretty decent at not being swayed by dopey optimism, corny sentimentality, and writers/directors artificially manipulating emotions.

[deleted]

Because it has racist stereotypes that peoplke across the pond are not used to seeing



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