Zaytoun

2012

1 hr. 47 min.

Drama

List

46%

39 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

A Palestinian refugee and an Israeli pilot form a bond as they try to escape from Beirut in 1982.

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Premiered May 20

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Critics Consensus

It has a lot on its mind, including a timely storyline with real-world significance; unfortunately, Zaytoun's reach exceeds its grasp, partly due to the presence of a miscast Stephen Dorff.

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Audience Member

Inspiring story across the religious and political divide of the Middle East. It's certainly the best thing to Stephen Dorff's name.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's possible for one decision to derail a movie completely, one choice by someone involved in a film that just is inherently wrong. These decisions could be something small like a musical score, costume design, cinematographer or in Eran Riklis's 2012 film Zaytoun something big like a miscast actor in the form of the seriously un-Israeli Yoni Stephen Dorff. In a story that totally hinges on the believability and likability of its two leads, Zaytoun fails miserably. Concerning the young Palestinian boy Fahed who we are asked to root for and journey along with, actor Abdallah El Akal does a horrible job with his boy acting not the right side of enduring or not the comical side of rebel. It's a difficult feat to have a child actor take lead in a film and make it work and Riklis can't achieve the feat here. With Fahed such an unlikeable and uninteresting glue to the film all hope is rested onto Hollywood B list extraordinaire Stephen Dorff to move the picture forward but in a horrible misjudgement of casting he is doomed before a single frame was even shot with the plausibility of him pulling off being an Israeli so impossible that it's hard to even fathom why a born and breed Israeli could not of done the job and done it better. It's not that Dorff is bad perse in his acting just non-believable in his role. With the failings of the films leads other elements of the film do not help its causes with a story that sadly can't shake the dust of mediocrity and a sense of disbelief while Riklis as a director can't add much to proceedings other than a nice opening shot and some small bursts of directional creativity. With a script overhaul, a smarter sense of direction and better cast actors you do get the sense that somewhere inside this supposed adventure/life affirming tale is a good film. I would be confident in saying that not many have heard of this film and it's not hard to see why. With painfully few things within Zaytoun worth recommending and with a cliché story it's easy to see why this one sunk like a stone even with some advanced hype that suggested awards and box office glory. A miss-step for all involved. 1 very far from Israeli actors out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check out - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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Audience Member

It was a good story... just not realistic...

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

"Zaytoun" es un drama sobre la relacion de un piloto israeli y un nino de Beirut que empiezan una relacion cordial mas alla de las diferencias politicas y de roles. El problema de la cinta es que el director utiliza un formato mas parecido a la comedia romantica que al drama con tintes fraternales que se supone debe ser, creando una relacion extrana entre los personajes. Stephen Dorff esta muy mal dirigido, ademas de que lo suyo son los papeles que incluyan un episodio psicotico que cambie su actitud hacia el mal, y aqui es todo lo contrario, con lo cual sale de su zona de confort sin buenos resultados. (Texto intencionalmente sin acentos).

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

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Audience Member

The movie while bland at times, has that special something to keep you glued from beginning to end.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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Audience Member

One can never have enough reminders: people who are taught to hate each other can find common ground when see each other as people. Director Eran Riklis uses this theme often, and while it comes across as contrived in places in "Zaytoun", it still proves a powerful message.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

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Eran Riklis

Director

Stephen Dorff

Yoni

Alice Taglioni

Leclair

Ashraf Barhom

Actor

Abdallah El Akal

Fahed

Tarik Kopty

Actor

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Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

Zaytoun is a beautiful, touching film about two hardened souls who need each other far more than they're willing to let on.

Mar 24, 2020

Full Review

Jordan Hoffman

Times of Israel

Spoken plainly, the olives of Zaytoun are bland to the taste.

Sep 26, 2017

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Jared Eisenstat

Film Comment Magazine

Zaytoun is relatively successful in tiptoeing through the political minefield of the subject matter, and it offers out the promise of hope and possibility without raising expectations.

Nov 4, 2013

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

An overly sentimental film that tends to overstep the bounds of realism.

Aug 28, 2019

Full Review

Bernard Boo

Way Too Indie

It's possible to make humor work under the weight of war, but it requires more finesse and tact than Riklis and penner Nader Rizq exhibit.

Rated: 4/10

Apr 10, 2019

Full Review

Patrick Gamble

CineVue

Zaytoun is surprisingly short on tension, with each and every potential danger evaded though a collection of jarring edits or implausible events.

Rated: 2/5

Feb 7, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

A Palestinian refugee and an Israeli pilot form a bond as they try to escape from Beirut in 1982.

Director: Eran Riklis
Executive Producer: Pierre Buffin, Simon Egan, Simon Breen, Jessica Malik
Screenwriter: Nader Rizq
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 20, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.3K

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