Paradise Now (2005)

89% of critics liked it
(99 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(26,234 ratings)

Said (Kais Nashef) is a young Palestinian living in Nablus, and working as a mechanic. He gets his friend Khaled (Ali Suliman) a job, but the hot-tempered and impulsive Khaled quickly loses it. Suha (Lubna Azabal), a pretty, well-traveled young woman and the daughter of a well-known "martyr," brings… More Said (Kais Nashef) is a young Palestinian living in Nablus, and working as a mechanic. He gets his friend Khaled (Ali Suliman) a job, but the hot-tempered and impulsive Khaled quickly loses it. Suha (Lubna Azabal), a pretty, well-traveled young woman and the daughter of a well-known "martyr," brings her car in to be fixed, and flirts with Said. He's clearly interested in her, so much so that he continues to think of her when he's approached later that day by Jamal (Amer Hlehel), who tells him that he's been selected for an important mission, a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, and that Khaled will be joining him, as they had requested. That night, Jamal stays with Said at his mother's (Hiam Abbass) house, while another man stays with Khaled. Said sneaks off during the night to bring Suha her car keys, and has a brief discussion with her about her father's death, and what options the Palestinians have in their dealings with Israel. Said doesn't tell her the real reason for his visit: he's saying goodbye. The next morning, as scheduled, Said and Khaled are given neat haircuts and suits. They each make a video explaining to their families why they've chosen this path. Explosives are strapped on, and they are warned that trying to remove the belts themselves will result in detonation. When they're brought to a hole in the fence surrounding Nablus, they are intercepted by Israeli troops. Khaled and Said flee, and get separated. Said is left on his own. Paradise Now was co-written and directed by Hany Abu-Assad (Rana's Wedding, Ford Transit). A hit on the festival circuit, it was selected for inclusion in the 2005 New York Film Festival by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Hany Abu-Assad, Amedeo Pagani (II)
Written By: Bero Beyer, Hany Abu-Assad
Genres: Art House & International, Drama

In Theaters: Nov 18, 2005 Limited
On DVD: Mar 21, 2006
Studio: Warner Independent Pictures

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
... it says more about Middle Eastern politics from the Palestinian side than any movie, period.
Ken Tucker, New York Magazine
... remarkable ...
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
The film offers food for thought, and reminds us that, in any war, one who understands the mindset of his opponent gains an important tactical advantage.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Certainly what Said says will not come as a surprise to any Israeli. It's simply that they disagree. We may disagree, too, and yet watch the film with a fearsome fascination.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
A risk-taking but enlightening film that takes the novel approach of examining the Israeli-Arab impasse from the perspective of the Palestinians.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Very good.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The filmmaker keeps the thorny issues under control
Brandon Fibbs, BrandonFibbs.com
Could a more important, relevant and complimentary film to Munich have come out in 2005?
Peter T. Chattaway, Christianity Today
Abu-Assad does a good job of building tension and showing some of the complexities within Palestinian culture. He has, as they say, put a human face on the Palestinians.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
Un film duro, polémico y bien realizado, que promueve el debate sobre un conflicto aún por resolver.
Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
A tragedy regardless of its conclusion, Paradise Now is an important and powerful effort to explicate the inexplicable.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jim H

Two Palestinian would-be suicide bombers get separated after their plot goes wrong. From the Palestinian perspective, there are few films that do their side of the conflict better than Paradise Now. Directors Hany Abu-Assad and Amedeo Pagani exhibit fearless filmmaking; they… More
Two Palestinian would-be suicide bombers get separated after their plot goes wrong. From the Palestinian perspective, there are few films that do their side of the conflict better than Paradise Now. Directors Hany Abu-Assad and Amedeo Pagani exhibit fearless filmmaking; they don't balk at choosing suicide bombers as their heroes and attempt to fully explore the conditions that would drive people to such extremes. We get the spouting rhetoric of the violent resistance's leaders, the war-torn landscapes, and some - though not enough - of the examples of how Israel's occupation affects the Palestinians' daily lives. The performances by the two leads, Kais Nashef and Ali Suliman, are fantastic. Especially after his haircut, Nashef reminded me of an Arab Clive Owen with his intense, piercing stare and his determined walk. Lubna Azabal plays "girl," but she does it fairly well. I thought the film did devolve into a reading of Fanon versus Gandhi post-colonial theory during the conversation between Suha and Khaled; this was the only time when I thought that the film's political analysis was not rooted in the characters. And I thought that Khaled's transformation wasn't portrayed completely; there certainly needed to be more steps along the way. Overall, for anyone interested in why political power players constantly discuss Israel and Palestine, this is an important film, and if you aren't interested in this conflict, you should be.
familiar s

Unfortunately, I could neither relate to it, nor did I find it entertaining (but I suppose it wasn't meant to entertain). However, it wasn't too lengthy & the 90-something-minutes duration made it fairly watchable/bearable.
Daniel P

Intense, borderline claustrophobic, but all along it felt like something was missing in this film... cinematographically fantastic though, and exciting by times, it's worth watching, but it wasn't the fantastic film I'd heard it was. I still liked it, just an… More
Intense, borderline claustrophobic, but all along it felt like something was missing in this film... cinematographically fantastic though, and exciting by times, it's worth watching, but it wasn't the fantastic film I'd heard it was. I still liked it, just an expectation problem I suppose. Still a better than average movie, no question.
Lanning :

Just out of personal curiosity, I wonder if any of you flixsters miss Gene Siskel as much as I do? Roger Ebert, no offense, buddy, but as someone who has made a gazillion dollars off of slickly skimming the movie "explanation" biz, why do I always get the feeling that… More
Just out of personal curiosity, I wonder if any of you flixsters miss Gene Siskel as much as I do? Roger Ebert, no offense, buddy, but as someone who has made a gazillion dollars off of slickly skimming the movie "explanation" biz, why do I always get the feeling that you're cutting and pasting your reviews and maybe not even watching the whole movie when you write about it? While I agree with you -- to a very small extent --that the terrorist bomber is a figure to be pitied, Roger, sent out to waste his/her life -- and often the lives of innocent victims, which is where pity stops -- by a "braintrust" that is too cowardly to do the deed themselves -- think terrorists like bush/cheney and their ilk -- I have to say that the following statement by you, Roger, gives me pause: "When religion is involved, it sidesteps the issue, since religion provides an absolute rationale." The "issue" is the rationale behind going through with a suicide bombing. Ah, Roger, did you listen to the speech that Kais Nashif (Said) gives when he is about to be cut from the project? This speech is the heart of the film, Roger. Don't you understand that he's not talking about his religion, but about what a lousy life he leads and that he refuses to return to it? His life sucks, Mr. Ebert, and that is the absolute "rationale" behind what he finally does. Now that really is pitiful. It's pathetic. I would really rather have him say the principal motivating factor is his religion. Then at least we could imagine that Said believes he's found a higher calling, no matter how twisted it may be. Let's kill innocent people -- and that bus is full of them -- because we have lousy lives. Great. Well, at least it beats bushco: Let's kill innocent people because we're rich, but we want to be richer. I tell you, flixster friends, this really really really gives one pause. I wonder what Siskel would have said in return? Roger, you ignorant slut? Oh, sorry, that's the Saturday Night Live take on 60 Minutes. Siskel would probably just laugh out loud.
Ross C

The perfect riposte to Munich, showing the humanist side to life in Palestine. Two friends face a conflict in their mind against the struggle of the occupation. It's neither a romantic story of freedom fighters nor a dehumanising take on terrorism.
Aaron N

A buddy comedy about two suicide bombers...ok that's a little wrong. It's a good movie with good acting and an interesting story. It's quick to get to it's important scenes with good pacing. A problem involves accepting the cause and going along with the movie… More
A buddy comedy about two suicide bombers...ok that's a little wrong. It's a good movie with good acting and an interesting story. It's quick to get to it's important scenes with good pacing. A problem involves accepting the cause and going along with the movie plus some forced symbolism.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Paradise Now" starts out with a woman passing through a checkpoint into the West Bank which is occupied by Israel. Said and Khalid are best friends who live in the West Bank. Khalid gets fired from the auto shop where they work. They are chosen to… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Paradise Now" starts out with a woman passing through a checkpoint into the West Bank which is occupied by Israel. Said and Khalid are best friends who live in the West Bank. Khalid gets fired from the auto shop where they work. They are chosen to carry out a dual suicide bombing in Tel Aviv in retaliation for something the Israeli military did. But there is a complication at the border crossing...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Paradise Now" is an intelligent look at the thinking behind suicide bombings in Israel. It does not comment but I think it makes the case against and points out the fruitlessness of murdering civilians. I have never liked martyrs, so I think it is more important to find a cause to live for than it is to find a cause to die for. The film does a very good job of showing what it is to live in the occupied West Bank. But the movie does end suddenly.[/font]
Juan C

'paradise now' has to be one if the most insightful, realistic, and brilliantly dramatization on the motivations of terrorist! It's that there is a choice that we have and w chose to follow that choice or not. It's the most powerfully thoughtout political foreign… More
'paradise now' has to be one if the most insightful, realistic, and brilliantly dramatization on the motivations of terrorist! It's that there is a choice that we have and w chose to follow that choice or not. It's the most powerfully thoughtout political foreign language film I've ever seen! A+
Laura C

An excellent film which I admired for its almost poetic simplicity despite the incredibly complex subject matter. I appreciated that both sides of the argument were presented. It was beautifully shot, some of the shots were breathtaking. Much like City of God … More
An excellent film which I admired for its almost poetic simplicity despite the incredibly complex subject matter. I appreciated that both sides of the argument were presented. It was beautifully shot, some of the shots were breathtaking. Much like City of God there was such beauty to be found despite the poverty of the people and grittiness of the backdrops. I especially enjoyed the lead Kais Nashef's performance. What he didn't say was expressed with his eyes.I also loved Lubna Azabal's character and performance, she did an excellent job providing the voice of reason or counterpoint to the other characters' belief that suicide bombing is a necessary and noble action.
Nicolas K

The human side of terrorism - quite intriguing and very engaging.
Mike T

A perceptive, engaging study of distorted views, motives of violence and the often hopeless search for justice. Ontop of the subject matter involving terrorism, I was particularly fascinated with the film's examination of a man's range of emotions when on the edge of death.… More
A perceptive, engaging study of distorted views, motives of violence and the often hopeless search for justice. Ontop of the subject matter involving terrorism, I was particularly fascinated with the film's examination of a man's range of emotions when on the edge of death. Very powerful, very important film. Highly recommended.
Curt C

Two Palestinians who volunteer to be suicide bombers. The movie tracks the two men up until the "deciding" moment that they have to individually choose whether to go through with it. As for the ending ... wow. Incredibly powerful, but a few too many random twists to be… More
Two Palestinians who volunteer to be suicide bombers. The movie tracks the two men up until the "deciding" moment that they have to individually choose whether to go through with it. As for the ending ... wow. Incredibly powerful, but a few too many random twists to be great.
Daisy M

Also a nominated movie for best foreign movie Oscars 2005, Paradise now was a realistic movie about the Israel, Palestine conflict.The movie followed Said and Khaled, two friends who had been chosen for being suicide bombers.The feelings of the two leading characters were carefully… More
Also a nominated movie for best foreign movie Oscars 2005, Paradise now was a realistic movie about the Israel, Palestine conflict.The movie followed Said and Khaled, two friends who had been chosen for being suicide bombers.The feelings of the two leading characters were carefully explained in a realistic way by an outstanding performance of both actors. The story was excellent written, even though it was dragged too long in the end, the movie explained the difficult situation without taking a stand, and this might let you understand the situation better. It was not a documentary, and made no presentation of both sides of the conflict, it was more a sincere and sad movie, but it was a Palestinian movie, with a Palestinian point of view. Said and Khaled were just ordinary men,condemned to a life with no future. They were not bad guys but as human beings torn between religion and revenge with no way out.
Sarah P

Pretty good, but nothing great. I couldn't get invested in the characters...
Linda K

This film was very well-done, although the subject isnt sometihng new. We see this kind of situations in 24 (tv show). But still a good film.
Wu C

Decent watch, but a little overrated.
Tom S

I thought this movie would shock/scare/anger/emote me into siding with a particular political idealogy. It didn't. It just told the story of two men. I loved it.