The Nativity Story (2006)
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38% of critics liked it
(128 reviews) -
74% of users liked it
(82,260 ratings)
Australian-born Whale Rider sensation and Oscar nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes stars opposite Oscar Isaac in Lords of Dogtown director Catherine Hardwicke's dramatic account of the Annunciation, and the arduous journey of Mary and Joseph to give birth to baby Jesus. House of Sand and Fog's… More Australian-born Whale Rider sensation and Oscar nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes stars opposite Oscar Isaac in Lords of Dogtown director Catherine Hardwicke's dramatic account of the Annunciation, and the arduous journey of Mary and Joseph to give birth to baby Jesus. House of Sand and Fog's Shohreh Aghdashloo co-stars in a film with a screenplay by The Rookie and Finding Forrester scribe Mike Rich. Filmed in the village of Matera, Italy (a locale that has remained virtually untouched by modern progress and also served as the backdrop for Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ), and Quarzazate, Morocco, former production designer Hardwicke's film strives for authenticity in telling the Bible's most treasured tale. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- Catherine Hardwicke
- Written By
- Mike Rich
- Genres
- Drama, Faith & Spirituality
- In Theaters
- Dec 1, 2006 Wide
- On DVD
- Mar 20, 2007
- Studio
- New Line Cinema
Critic Reviews
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Tom Charity, CNN.com
Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with preaching to the converted -- secular Hollywood does it all the time. But I confess I wish the movie had some of the passion of The Passion of the Christ.
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Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
We just haven't had too many films that concentrate on this story.
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Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
I have to hand it to Hardwicke: I was a lot less bored by The Nativity Story than I feared I'd be.
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Claudia Puig, USA Today
It's not exactly the dullest story ever told, but it's certainly not the greatest.
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Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
The Nativity Story may prove just idiosyncratic enough to alienate the doctrinaire believers but not quite weird enough to appeal to revisionists, cultists or regular holiday moviegoers.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Keisha Castle-Hughes
as Mary
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Oscar Isaac
as Joseph
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Hiam Abbass
as Anna
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Shaun Toub
as Joaquim
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Alexander Siddig
as The Angel Gabriel
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Nadim Sawalha
as Melchior
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Eriq Ebouaney
as Balthasar
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Stefan Kalipha
as Gaspar
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Saïd Armadis
as Tero
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Stanley Townsend
as Zechariah
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Ciarán Hinds
as King Herod
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Shohreh Aghdashloo
as Elizabeth
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Alessandro Giuggioli
as Antipas
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Farida Ouchani
as Ruth
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Said Amadis
as Tero
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Maria Giovanna Donzelli
as Mary's Friend
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Francesca Piliero
as Mary's Friend
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Serge Feuillard
as Eldest Priest
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Kais Nashef
as Benjamin
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Andy Lucas
as Tax Collector
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Tomer Gazit Sisley
as Tax Collector
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Jeffrey Kissoon
as Herod's Assistant
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Lucia Zotti
as Elizabeth's Aunt
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Monica Contini
as Elizabeth's Cousin
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Paola Sotgiu
as Midwife
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Gabrielle Scharnitzky
as Palm Reader
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Stewart Scudamore
as Street Preacher
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Chiara Di Pede
as Girl Taken By Soldier
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Zinedine Soualem
as Girl's Father
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Luciana Filomena Paolicelli
as Girl's Mother
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Damir Todorovic
as Soldier At Collection
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Mat Patresi
as Sentry Soldier
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Ted Rusoff
as Old Shepherd
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Sami Samir
as Thief
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Yvonne Sciò
as Thief's Accomplice
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Andrea Bruschi
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Jean Claude Breitman-Deret
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Angela Lurilli
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Francesco Martoccia
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Alessandro Piscitelli
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Maria Antonietta DiMonte
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Emilio Andrisiani
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Emilia Fortunato
as Bethlehem Townsperson
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Gilda
as The Donkey







