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      Everything Is Illuminated

      PG-13 Released Sep 16, 2005 1 hr. 46 min. Comedy Drama List
      66% 118 Reviews Tomatometer 89% 50,000+ Ratings Audience Score A young Jewish-American man obsessed with his family history, Jonathan Safran Foer (Elijah Wood) decides to journey to the Ukraine to find out more about the life of his grandfather. Guided by Alex (Eugene Hutz), a rap-obsessed local, Jonathan ventures into the heartland of the Ukraine seeking to shed light on events that occurred to his grandfather during World War II. Joining Jonathan and Alex is the latter's surly grandfather (Boris Leskin) and a dog named Sammy Davis Jr. Jr. Read More Read Less Watch on Fandango at Home Premiered Jun 27 Buy Now

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      Everything Is Illuminated

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      Critics Consensus

      Although it excises much from its famously dense source material, Everything is Illuminated is a quirky, ambitious debut film from Liev Schreiber.

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      Audience Reviews

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      Riccardo D Absolutely beautiful and deep. Worth watching. Fun and moving at the same time. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/04/24 Full Review g j Wryly funny and heart-wrenchingly sad. A truly beautiful film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/27/23 Full Review peyton c MGK was the best part of the movie. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member ONe of my favorite's movie so far Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review barbara m Absolutely a wonderful movie. Liev Schreiber wrote the screen play and Elijah Wood stars as a young Jewish man who goes to the Ukraine to find the woman who saved his grandfather's life during the second world war. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/07/22 Full Review dave s In Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer, the author of the source material novel, travels through the Ukraine to shed light on his family's history. Accompanied by an interpreter obsessed with American culture, a driver who believes he's blind, and an aggressive dog named Sammy Davis Jr. Jr., they embark on a journey that will prove to all parties that the past is part of the present and shapes the way we view both the world and ourselves. The film successfully merges gentle humor with devastating drama thanks to an insightful script by first-time director Liev Schreiber. Elijah Wood is excellent in the lead role, but the film is stolen by singer Eugene Hutz, who provides an inspired and hilarious performance as the interpreter. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Empire Magazine Rated: 4/5 Apr 1, 2006 Full Review Stella Papamichael BBC.com Rated: 3/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle Nevertheless, Everything Is Illuminated has a haunting afterglow, one that neither satisfies nor illuminates, but at least keeps the flame alive. Rated: 2.5/5 Oct 22, 2005 Full Review Felicia Feaster Creative Loafing Rather than aiming to please, the film expects a certain patience on the viewer's part as it ambles and slowly shifts from an often forced quirkiness to a bone-deep melancholy. That change of tack proves worth waiting for. Feb 3, 2020 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com The lamentable influence of Dave Eggers' oh-so-precious post modern literary devices from "A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius" (2000) are glued all over a bullet proof piece of magical realism... Rated: C- Apr 15, 2009 Full Review Brandon Fibbs BrandonFibbs.com What begins in quirks and idiosyncrasy moves into a dark place where profound sadness and profound closure co-exist side by side. Rated: 7/10 Feb 28, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A young Jewish-American man obsessed with his family history, Jonathan Safran Foer (Elijah Wood) decides to journey to the Ukraine to find out more about the life of his grandfather. Guided by Alex (Eugene Hutz), a rap-obsessed local, Jonathan ventures into the heartland of the Ukraine seeking to shed light on events that occurred to his grandfather during World War II. Joining Jonathan and Alex is the latter's surly grandfather (Boris Leskin) and a dog named Sammy Davis Jr. Jr.
      Director
      Liev Schreiber
      Executive Producer
      Matthew Stillman
      Screenwriter
      Liev Schreiber
      Distributor
      Warner Independent
      Production Co
      Stillking Films, Warner Independent Pictures, Big Beach Films, Telegraph Films
      Rating
      PG-13 (Language|Disturbing Images/Violence|Sexual Content)
      Genre
      Comedy, Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Sep 16, 2005, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Oct 2, 2008
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $1.7M
      Sound Mix
      Surround
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