Bombay Beach

2011

1 hr. 20 min.

Drama

Musical

List

77%

39 Reviews

Tomatometer

78%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Three men of varying ages try to figure out if they are a product of their world or if their world is a construct of their own imaginations.

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Audience Member

I wasn't fully comfortable a lot of the time while watching - something about the movement between 'documentary' and set pieces, the mistrust around reality and re-creation. I know in the end it doesn't matter, and that breaking down of the form is pretty inspiring. In many ways the process was more interesting than the product.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

good doc with gr8 music

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

Bombay Beach is a devastating yet hopeful "slice-of-life" documentary about dreams lost and dreams that are yet to be fulfilled. It's a truly poetic and moving portrait.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

I loved this, although Eleanor thought it was documentary masquerading as 'movie'. With Bob Dylan doing the music how could it fail? I loved the three protagonists and the way that the plotting explored their existences. These are real people leading 'ordinary' lives, and yet it's evident that there is an element of dramatic structuring. Some great photography and a real sense of coherence. The U.S. underclass sensitively portrayed. Nice one.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

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robert d

This is beautifully shot and very, very dark. I feel terrible for the one little boy stuck there who just keeps being fed Ritalin and Lithium by doctors. I can't believe people live in Bombay Beach-- it reeks of death... literally.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Great movie on bob Dylan

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

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Alma Har'el

Director

Benny Parrish

Actor

CeeJay Thompson

Actor

Pamela Parrish

Actor

Boaz Yakin

Executive Producer

Alma Har'el

Producer

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Joe Williams

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Bombay Beach" is an oasis of creativity in the documentary landscape.

Rated: 3.5/4

Apr 13, 2012

Full Review

London Evening Standard

Har'el seems to tell us that nobody can be completely defeated, even by the most unfortunate circumstances.

Feb 3, 2012

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Feb 3, 2012

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Har'el is neither overly sympathetic nor detached.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 3, 2020

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Lee Cassanell

CineVue

A moving, amusing and often beautiful glimpse at a side of America we rarely get to see.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 13, 2018

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Patrick Gamble

CineVue

Har'el's film is certainly a skilfully-made effort, presenting the American West Coast through a uniquely glorious palette of warm, inviting shades - a wonderful piece of art with little lurking behind its aesthetic allure.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 27, 2018

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Synopsis

Three men of varying ages try to figure out if they are a product of their world or if their world is a construct of their own imaginations.

Director: Alma Har'el
Executive Producer: Boaz Yakin
Production Co: Boaz Yakin
Genre: Drama, Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 10, 2012