Eden Is West

2009

1h 50m

Drama

List

88%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

64%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Illegal immigrants struggle to live in the EU.

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Audience Member

This captivating journey is a modern classic...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A must watch film! It's a story of human adaptation to loss of home and lack of normal human contact!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Really Nice Movie... The camera makes us dance We feel the Rythm of the sequences and the surviving moves of the main character... Realistic and Fascinating !

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

I loved the way this movie showed that human solidarity is still there, that was refreshing. And Elias was a really fascinating character, Riccardo Scamarcio played him so well, I'll look for other movies he played in because he's such a great actor! The only thing that bothers me a little was the end, it kind of disappointed me, but well, I think that the movie purpose wasn't quite about the reach of Elias' goal, but really about everything he went through trying to reach it, and what we can see by ourselves in his adventures.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

Sometimes feel good, other time poignant. Brilliant movie that deserves at least four stars however the very end seemed unnecessary

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

Nice to see Costa-Gravas lightening up in his twilight years, although this movie still bears the hallmark of his social conscience. A bittersweet odyssey of an illegal immigrant''s journey from the Mediterranean coast to Paris in search of prosperity. En route, he encounters the kindness of strangers, exploitation of the unscupulous, and the rudeness of Parisiens.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

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Costa-Gavras

Director

Riccardo Scamarcio

Elias

Odysseas Papaspiliopoulos

Ami Elias

Léa Wiazemsky

Nina

Tess Spentzos

Amie Nina

Kristen Ross

Amie Nina

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

The tension is always between Costa-Gavras's dark view of human nature and his main character's hopes for the future. It's an uneven battle, although the film has enough strong and thoughtful moments to make you wish it was better.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 21, 2009

Full Review

Jim Schembri

The Age (Australia)

The brightest, most-entertaining film of [Costas-Gavras'] illustrious career.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 21, 2009

Full Review

Michael Barrett

PopMatters

Costa-Gavras' little-seen humane masterpiece, Eden Is West is the rare film that could make its viewers into better people.

Sep 12, 2022

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A mediocre film.

Rated: C

Mar 8, 2014

Full Review

Jason Di Rosso

MovieTime, ABC Radio National

The tone of the film, despite some pretty hard living, remains warm with flashes of magic realism. This works against our expectations for this kind of road movie, and may seem too saccharine for some. I enjoyed the journey.

Aug 21, 2009

Full Review

Mark Demetrius

FILMINK (Australia)

Costa-Gavras scores a few telling points -- about the callous crassness of privileged tourists, for example -- but whatever his intentions, the end product is essentially a rattling good yarn.

Aug 21, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

Illegal immigrants struggle to live in the EU.

Director: Costa-Gavras
Screenwriter: Costa-Gavras, Jean-Claude Grumberg
Production Co: Medusa Film
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 19, 2016
Runtime: 1h 50m

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