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Mr Ibrahim
(2003) Film Review by Darrel Manson |
| This page was created on March 12, 2004
This page was last updated on
March 12, 2004
—Review
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
—Forum
Dial up modems will take a few moments |
| CREDITS |
| Directed by François Dupeyron
Screenplay by François Dupeyron and Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Novel by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
Producers
Laurent Pétin ... producer
Michèle Pétin ... producer
Cast - in credits order
Omar Sharif ... Monsieur Ibrahim
Pierre Boulanger ... Momo
Gilbert Melki ... Momo's Father
Isabelle Renauld ... Momo's Mother
Lola Naymark ... Myriam
Anne Suarez ... Sylvie
Mata Gabin ... Fatou
Céline Samie ... Eva
Isabelle Adjani ... The Star
Guillaume Gallienne ... The Car Salesman
Guillaume Rannou ... The Director
Manuel Lelièvre¹ ... The Driving School Instructor
Daniel Znyk ... The Policeman
Françoise Armelle ... The Schoolmistress
Sylvie Herbert ... The Testgiver
Claude Merlin ... The Notary
Pascal Vincent ... The Secondhand Bookseller
Tessa Volkine ... Myriam's Mother
Marie-Sophie Ahmadi ... Nadia
Maryse Déol ... Administrative Worker #1
Gérard Bôle du Chaumont ... Administrative Worker #2
François Toumarkine ... Administrative Worker #3
Sylvie Debrun ... Administrative Worker #4
Jérémy Sitbon ... Momo at 8 Years Old
Eric Caravaca ... Momo at 30 Years Old
Cinematography by Rémy Chevrin
Edited by Dominique Faysse
Rated R for some sexual content
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM, and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG |
| TRAILERS AND CLIPS |
| Various Quicktime |
| POSTER |
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| SYNOPSIS |
 During the early 1960's, Paris, like the much of Europe, was an explosion of life. As the old gave way to the new, everything was in flux and the city was filled with a energy that promised cultural shifts and social change. Against this background, in a working class neighborhood,
two unlikely characters—a young Jew and an elderly Muslim—begin a friendship. When we meet Momo (Boulanger), he is in effect an orphan even though he lives with his father,  a man slowly retreating into a crippling depression. His only friends are the street whores who treat him with genuine affection. Momo buys his groceries at the
neighborhood shop, a crowded dark space owned and run by Ibrahim (Sharif), a silent exotic looking man who sees and knows more than he lets on. After Momo is abandoned by his father, Ibrahim becomes the one grownup in Momo's life. Together they begin a journey that will change their lives forever. |
 Review by
DARREL MANSON BLOG
Pastor, Artesia Christian Church, Artesia, CA
http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch01198
Darrel has an incredible love and interest in the cinematic arts. His reviews usually include independent and significantly important film. |
 Moses (Momo) and Ibrahim don't have much in common. One is a Jew, the other a Muslim. One is just reaching the early stages of adulthood, eager to sample life; the other is aging and tired. Yet, they connect and form a loving bond that
blesses them both.
Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran was one of the films nominated for a Golden Globe as a foreign language film. It is a heartwarming story of two people who are essentially alone in the midst of many people.
 Momo was abandoned by his mother very early. His father is cold, distant and depressed. Momo seeks love, first by trying to buy it from the streetwalkers in his neighborhood, later with a neighbor girl his age, but is not fulfilled.
 Ibrahim is the local grocer - "the Arab" - working morning to night everyday. Momo is willing to steal from him, because he is an Arab. (Actually, he's a Turk, but we so often lump all Muslims together.) Ibrahim cares for Momo and slowly a relationship and a bond develops. They treat each other with respect and with dignity that others never
show them. They become family for each other.
 Ibrahim begins to teach Momo that life is not depressing as Momo's father always seems to represent. Rather there is much in life to enjoy and celebrate. When asked how he can always be able to smile, Ibrahim relies, "I know what is in my Koran."
 Ibrahim is a man of great grace. When he knows that Moses is stealing from the store, he tells him "I'd rather you steal here than someplace else." He welcomes Moses and mentors him in little things about life.
Ibrahim is also a spiritual person. As a Sufi he cares more about inner religion than he cares for following the Koran strictly. Ibrahim's religion is meaningful and real to him in ways that should be appreciated by those of any religion.
 Besides the quality of the story, Monsieur Ibrahim lets us see a different view of Muslims than films usually show us. Even before the attacks of September 11, Muslims and Arabs were usually portrayed in films as criminals, terrorists, and fanatics. Since then things have only gotten worse. Even as government officials try to not blame Islam
for terrorism, many church leaders have continued to denigrate Islam, calling it a religion of violence.
Ibraham is a model of a faithful Muslim who is kind, loving and peaceful. If we are to learn to live in a world with diversity, we must be ready to discover the Ibrahams around us and to begin to seek the bonds that we share with them, as Momo and Ibrahim did. |
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