The Attack

R

Released Jun 21, 2013

1h 44m

Drama

List

86%

Tomatometer

59 Reviews

77%

Audience Score

5,000+ Ratings

An award-winning Palestinian surgeon (Ali Suliman) is shocked to discover that his wife was the terrorist responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 17 people.

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Critics Consensus

Tense and suspenseful while remaining smart and understated, The Attack honors its complex subject with an intelligent script and captivating performances.

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Emma Myers

Film Comment Magazine

The result is a quiet power-so quiet in fact that the score is almost non-existent-that never risks sentimentality or exploitation.

Nov 4, 2013

Full Review

Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Screenwriters Ziad Doueiri and Joelle Touma pull quite a few punches here, making the doctor improbably naive about Israeli-Palestinian tensions so that his transformation seems profound.

Aug 29, 2013

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Andrew Wagaman

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The Attack" doesn't force us to pick a side. But it does force us to question our outsiders' hope in conciliation.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 22, 2013

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Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

The Attack is a well-done, intelligent work.

Jul 14, 2020

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Bernard Boo

Way Too Indie

The lasting images Doueiri conjures are what I ultimately took with me after all was said and done, and the droning, ambient electronic music he pairs with the visuals adds a surprising amount of tension and mood.

Rated: 8.2/10

Apr 15, 2019

Full Review

Mae Abdulbaki

Punch Drunk Critics

The film is poignant and easily one of the best films to come from the region in recent memory.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 14, 2018

Full Review

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Audience Member

This is a though-provoking move I have watched many times, and every time I recommend to others they enjoy too!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

Excellent film from Lebanon/France based on a novel by Yasmina Khadra. Amin Jaafari seems to have the perfect life: A successful career as a surgeon, respect and appreciation from colleagues, a beautiful wife. When there was a suicide bomber in a Tel Aviv coffee shop, Amin lends a helping hand with the other medical staff. But he is soon to find out that the suicide bomber was his own beloved wife. How can he now make sense of his life, and love? What are the reactions by Israeli Jews, and by his own family and other Arabs to him asking questions? This film tackles some tough questions.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

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Audience Member

Ani ohevet otcha Suliman <3

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

Tense drama about a Palestinian surgeon living in Israel whose wife is accused of being a suicide bomber. Much less of s political polemic than a story of a man whose main relationship is potentially betrayed and lifestyle challenged. Except for one important factual incident that gets distorted in order to rationalize a character motivation, a daring and well done film.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Audience Member

Powerful movie. No easy answers, for anyone.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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Audience Member

A man's quest to find the truth... Adaptation of the french novel 'The Assassination'. The movie was so good, but I had a hesitation over the contents. The movie tried to be a too smart by being a neutral, hence failed to convince on that issue. The problem was, it sets in the real world around real conflict, but the facts were excluded. So that led many countries to ban in their market. The good thing was, to I like the movie, the story concentrates on the human curiosity and emotion. I thought it was an okay movie until the end twist. It was not that grand, but very-very simple and potent. Awesome filmmaking, could have been a top contender if it would have nominated for the Oscar. I wanted to rate it higher, but I feel something is not right as it was based on the real subject, but a fictional account. I definitely recommend it because the result could be different for you with your viewpoint. 7/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Ziad Doueiri

Director

Ali Suliman

Amin Jaafari

Reymonde Amsallem

Siham jaafari

Dvir Benedek

Raveed

Uri Gavriel

Captain Moshe

Karim Saleh

Adel

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Synopsis

An award-winning Palestinian surgeon (Ali Suliman) is shocked to discover that his wife was the terrorist responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 17 people.

Director: Ziad Doueiri
Producer: Jean Bréhat
Screenwriter: Ziad Doueiri, Joelle Touma
Distributor: Cohen Media Group
Production Co: 3B Productions, Canal+, Scope Pictures
Rating: R (Language|Brief Sexuality|Some Violent Images)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 21, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 12, 2016
Runtime: 1h 44m

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