West Beyrouth

Released Sep 3, 1998

1h 49m

Drama

List

94%

16 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

In 1975, the long slog of civil war has recently begun in Beirut. A high school student named Tarek (Rami Doueiri) is thrilled by all the chaos and upheaval because he no longer needs to go to school. Plus, he finds negotiations between West and East Beirut interesting. Tarek is accompanied by his buddy Omar (Mohamad Chamas) as the two shoot Super 8 films of the tumult around them. The jovial mood takes a tragic turn when Tarek's parents start fighting over whether or not to flee Beirut.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: A-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 3/4

May 9, 2003

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 4.5/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Dec 26, 2004

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 3/5

Dec 11, 2004

Full Review

Andy Klein

New Times

Rated: 4/5

May 29, 2004

Full Review

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Anthony E

If one were to ask of a movie of a teenager just coming of age at the start of Lebanon's Civil War from the mid 70's through the entire 80's, this one, I felt, represents the most of the grounded reality of what it would be like then in the slums of the Lebanese Capitol of Beirut. In a way with this movie, you want to believe that something like a war as such, especially in the Middle East, can just be over with so that these characters can resume with their lives prior to the conflict. It's almost like yearning onto that kind of hope that, as we see through most of the characters in this movie, it's like living a rough dream. Especially in the perspective of the main character, the boy teenager, we don't know what's gonna happen next, or whenever this conflict is gonna end or not. So the best they could do is hold on to each other and possibly find some joy amidst this chaos. It takes a great deal of courage to display something as this film grounded in the sort of reality as to what life was like back then during a harsh chapter in Lebanon's history.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/14/23

Full Review

david l

West Beirut is set during the Lebanese Civil War, but the director, Ziad Doueiri, smartly chose to focus less on historical facts and more on his own experiences. As a result, the movie did not become a boring history lesson, but a genuinely engaging, heartfelt drama about a family struggling to survive during this hard period. The child acting performances are stupendous and the direction is phenomenal. The film's adventurous, carefree second act is deftly contrasted with the serious punch of its tragic second half.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Nostalgic feeling of the Shiite slums in Beirut and the dreadful conditions my family was forced to live through, but nonetheless hilarious and relatable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A good story that beautifully shows the universality of youth the world over, regardless of background and regardless of the circumstances they live in. All teenagers have a mischievous side, curios imagination, seek friendship, and have sexual urges they can not suppress.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It has many plot holes and the acting was very cringy. It fulfills its job to entertain the audience and tells a nostalgic lebanese story

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

impressive perspective of what was going on in people's minds...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

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Ziad Doueiri

Director

Rami Doueiri

Tarek

Mohamad Chamas

Omar

Rola Al Amin

May

Carmen Lebbos

Hala

Joseph Bou Nassar

Riad

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Synopsis

In 1975, the long slog of civil war has recently begun in Beirut. A high school student named Tarek (Rami Doueiri) is thrilled by all the chaos and upheaval because he no longer needs to go to school. Plus, he finds negotiations between West and East Beirut interesting. Tarek is accompanied by his buddy Omar (Mohamad Chamas) as the two shoot Super 8 films of the tumult around them. The jovial mood takes a tragic turn when Tarek's parents start fighting over whether or not to flee Beirut.

Director: Ziad Doueiri
Screenwriter: Ziad Doueiri
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 3, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 20, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $385.0K
Runtime: 1h 49m
Sound Mix: Surround