The Mauritanian

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The Mauritanian

R

2021

2h 9m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

219 Reviews

85%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Directed by Kevin Macdonald and based on the NY Times best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is the inspiring true story of Slahi's fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi (Tahar Rahim) finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) who battle the U.S. government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up.

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Critics Consensus

The Mauritanian takes a frustratingly generic approach to a real-life story that might have been inspirational in other hands, but Tahar Rahim's performance elevates the uneven material.

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Audience Says

Even for audience members who've already been educated about Guantánamo, The Mauritanian will be an eye-opening, gut-wrenching experience.

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Udita Jhunjhunwala

Scroll.in

04/16/2021

Filmed largely indoors and in often claustrophobic spaces, the movie isn't always subtle, but its impact is felt particularly in the scenes featuring Rahim. His powerful performance is supported respectfully by Foster, Cumberbatch and Woodley.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode & Mayo's Film Review

04/06/2021

The subject is charismatic in a way that the film is not. But he is VERY charismatic, and it's his performance that sees this through.

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Simran Hans

Observer (UK)

04/04/2021

3/5

The real-life story is enraging, and it's fun to see Benedict Cumberbatch's morally conflicted military prosecutor lock horns with Foster's icy human rights lawyer.

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Geoffrey Macnab

iNews.co.uk

Jan 16

3/5

It is powerful but one dimensional.

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Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

08/09/2024

4/5

Despite its slightly uneven narrative, this film by Kevin Macdonald...is an intelligent legal drama bolstered by powerful performances from both Tahar Rahim...and Jodie Foster.

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews

07/24/2023

B-

The must-watch, shocking, real-life story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi is told through a formulaic yet efficient screenplay, placing the spotlight on Tahar Rahim’s exceptional, award-worthy performance.

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Margaret

03/22/2021

It was a very good movie.

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Gloria G

03/18/2021

I liked the fact that it was a true story and well presented. Great to see Jody Foster on the screen again.

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Jill

03/17/2021

Well done! Important to watch and open your eyes!

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Jul 1

SCARY! That this actually occurred AND was perpetrated by our own government- Let's just say if you don't hold yourself to a higher standard you become the thing you fight against. Wonderfully acted, wonderfully shot, wonderfully cast. Foster= I'd watch a movie of her just reading the paper. Rahim's performance was riveting and really captured the spirit of a culture we know little about. Woodley was great too- go San Bernardino! An easy collection add to. I WILL say that they should have started early in the movie on Rahim's torture instead of a kind of long montage toward the end- it would've better connected you to his character and you would've been even more shocked by how the events unfolded in real time instead of it being a flashback sequence. A Fantastic movie all the same.

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Kyle M

Jun 22

Another light shed into the unethically inhumane darkness to critically spread awareness in a solidifying testament when the brewing disturbance boils as sympathetically directed with justifiable reasons. This is solely a dramatized response in adapting its source material’s perspective(s) without suggesting directorially trademarked depths, from an attempted thorough argument branched out between Foster’s familiarly gripping maturity and Cumberbatch’s humbling morality, to Rahim warily embodying upheld hope and humanity amid a psychological routine for his portrayal in an incomplete, tough picture solidly performed. (B)

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R K

May 28

A movie from a different perspective of justice.thumbs up

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Kevin Macdonald

Director

Jodie Foster

Nancy Hollander

Tahar Rahim

Mohamedou Ould Slahi

Shailene Woodley

Teri Duncan

Benedict Cumberbatch

Stu Couch

Zachary Levi

Neil Buckland

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The Mauritanian: Deleted Scene - Revelation

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The Mauritanian: Trailer 2

1:24

The Mauritanian: Trailer 1

3:01

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Synopsis

Directed by Kevin Macdonald and based on the NY Times best-selling memoir "Guantánamo Diary" by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, this is the inspiring true story of Slahi's fight for freedom after being detained and imprisoned without charge by the U.S. Government for years. Alone and afraid, Slahi (Tahar Rahim) finds allies in defense attorney Nancy Hollander (Jodie Foster) and her associate Teri Duncan (Shailene Woodley) who battle the U.S. government in a fight for justice that tests their commitment to the law and their client at every turn. Their controversial advocacy, along with evidence uncovered by a formidable military prosecutor, Lt. Colonel Stuart Couch (Benedict Cumberbatch), uncovers shocking truths and ultimately proves that the human spirit cannot be locked up.

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Producer: Adam Ackland, Leah Clarke, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lloyd Levin, Beatriz Levin, Mark Holder, Christine Holder, Branwen Prestwood Smith, Michael Bronner
Screenwriter: M.B. Traven, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani
Distributor: STXfilms
Production Co: Convergent Media., 30West, Shadowplay Features, Great Point Media, SunnyMarch, BBC Films, Topic Studios, Wonder Street
Rating: R (Language|A Sexual Assault|Violence)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 2, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $832.4K
Runtime: 2h 9m

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