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BUDRUSMovie Reviews
Arabic language documentary about a Palestinian community organizer's use of passive resistance to halt the construction of a separation barrier that would decimate his village in Israel. Cast:Ayed Morrar, Iltezam MorrarDirector:Julia BachaAyed MorrarRelease Date:October 8, 2010DVD Release:May 17, 2011From:Balcony ReleasingLength:1 hr 18 min
Budrus played in key cities to very good reviews. • Ann Hornaday wrote in the Washington Post, "...both sobering and cheering... the all-too-familiar narrative of violence and mutual misunderstanding are replaced by a new story of nonviolence, cooperation and hope." • And Wesley Morris wrote in the Boston Globe, "...fascinating.... captures the grass-roots entrenchment that makes rapprochement seem so difficult." More Reviews Below...
Budrus has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (5 Reviews)
Mike Hale, New York Times: GOOD "Ms. Bacha doesn't duck the dispiriting aspects of the story.... The ultimate value of nonviolent protest in the occupied territories, however, is beyond the film's scope."(See all of Mike Hale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 385 words, 10/08/10
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...surprisingly heartening.... As one participant says, 'Everyone is looking for freedom and security,' and this film illustrates a way toward that goal."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 675 words, 10/22/10
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a movie that makes you believe people can get things done, if they think in terms of coalitions and principles and methods other than brute force."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 256 words, 11/19/10
Ella Taylor, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "The little-told story of a small but growing nonviolent opposition movement among rural West Bank Palestinians... a mostly fair-minded documentary."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 221 words, 10/06/10
KEY CITIES (6 Reviews)
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...both sobering and cheering... the all-too-familiar narrative of violence and mutual misunderstanding are replaced by a new story of nonviolence, cooperation and hope."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 420 words, 10/29/10
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...an uplifting documentary about a struggle successfully carried out through political pressure and public relations, not bullets and bombs."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 410 words, 11/26/10
Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "No one can believe that 'Budrus' is showing us the key to peace in the Middle East. But any positive note about this most intractable of conflicts should be savored."(See all of Walter Addiego's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 327 words, 01/14/11
John Hartl, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "Director Julia Bacha uses an infectious score and sharp editing to steer the footage away from standard documentary clichés... provocative, hopeful..."(See all of John Hartl's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 322 words, 12/17/10
Tom Long, Detroit News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...doesn't even pretend to be politically objective. Then again, political objectivity might be a wee bit difficult to pull off with this documentary."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 338 words, 03/18/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Ella Taylor, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "The little-told story of a small but growing nonviolent opposition movement among rural West Bank Palestinians... a mostly fair-minded documentary."(See all of Ella Taylor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 221 words, 10/06/10
Gerald Peary, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "Simply shot and straightforward in its argument... an agitprop rallying cry for Palestinians living in the West Bank's Occupied Territories."(See all of Gerald Peary's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 148 words, 12/02/10
Mike Hale, New York Times: GOOD "Ms. Bacha doesn't duck the dispiriting aspects of the story.... The ultimate value of nonviolent protest in the occupied territories, however, is beyond the film's scope."(See all of Mike Hale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 385 words, 10/08/10
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...surprisingly heartening.... As one participant says, 'Everyone is looking for freedom and security,' and this film illustrates a way toward that goal."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 675 words, 10/22/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Alissa Simon, Daily Variety: GOOD "...inspiring docu stresses peaceful resistance as the best means of conflict resolution... dynamically blends footage from multiple sources..."(See all of Alissa Simon's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 535 words, 12/13/09
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...surprisingly heartening.... As one participant says, 'Everyone is looking for freedom and security,' and this film illustrates a way toward that goal."(See all of Kenneth Turan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 675 words, 10/22/10
Mike Hale, New York Times: GOOD "Ms. Bacha doesn't duck the dispiriting aspects of the story.... The ultimate value of nonviolent protest in the occupied territories, however, is beyond the film's scope."(See all of Mike Hale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 385 words, 10/08/10
8.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Budrus's reviews are separated by an average 8.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Budrus (14 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Budrus's reviews cover 13.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 5,317 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 380 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 18 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Budrus's reviews on average broke 18 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Budrus's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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