Laura Hiros Rincón de cine Mar 21, 2018 2/5

... the result is predictable, the movie is memorable. [Full review in Spanish]

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Hannah Brown Jerusalem Post Mar 21, 2016

We're told what to think and whom to like in a way that short-circuits the chance for real drama.

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Hank Sartin Time Out Nov 18, 2011 4/5

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Don Groves sbs.com.au Jan 3, 2011 4/5

A touching tale of forbidden fruit in the Middle East.

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Enrique Buchichio Uruguay Total Oct 17, 2009 3/5

En general no me gusta decir que una película es "necesaria" (un facilismo rimbombante en el que suelen caer muchos críticos), pero en este caso debo hacer una excepción.

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Brandon Judell CultureCatch Sep 29, 2009 8/10

Abbass's starkly moving performance and the film's closing shots make this metaphor for the unsolvable unforgettable.

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Jonathan F. Richards Film.com Aug 23, 2009

Eran Riklis, who directed and co-wrote with Suha Arraf (they also collaborated on The Syrian Bride), has made a compelling movie that takes its strength from the ground-level picture it gives of the human aspect of the problems in that part of the world.

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Keith Cohen Entertainment Spectrum Jun 20, 2009 2.5/4

The vivid cinematography gives the viewer glimpses of scenic locations throughout Israel. This is a quiet and somber journey that allows lots of time for thought and reflection on the current state of affairs in the Middle East.

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Robert W. Butler Kansas City Star Jun 19, 2009 3/4

While the entire cast is very good, Abbass must carry most of the film, with little dialogue. Her subtly expressive face is a script unto itself, conveying everything from formal, traditional modesty to angry defiance.

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Frank Swietek One Guy's Opinion Jun 17, 2009 B

Has a distinct point of view on the Israeli-Palestinian impasse, but expresses it with considerable finesse as well as emotional power.

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Michael Sragow Baltimore Sun Jun 12, 2009 3/4

The sensuousness of Lemon Tree is its glory.

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Andrea Gronvall Chicago Reader Jun 12, 2009

The two Israelis who take her side are female, which underscores the film's message: a little less machismo might save a lot more than trees.

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Rob Thomas Capital Times (Madison, WI) Jun 12, 2009 3/4

Writer-director Eran Riklis handles these questions subtly and thoughtfully, tying the little struggle over the trees to larger issues without turning "Lemon Tree" into a parable.

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Sarah Boslaugh Playback:stl Jun 5, 2009 6/10

It's worth seeing Lemon Tree simply for the performance of Hiam Abbass, who is magnificent in her dignity and determination.

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Stan Hall Oregonian Jun 5, 2009

The Lemon Tree has a big plot hole that's overcome by both Abbass' efforts and the story's tone: dramatic but frustrated and slyly deadpan at heart.

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Jeff Vice Deseret News (Salt Lake City) Jun 4, 2009 2/4

Being dry is not necessarily a bad thing for a movie, at least when that dryness includes humor. But Lemon Tree is too dour and too humorless for its own good.

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Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jun 4, 2009 3/4

The pungence of Lemon Tree is in the surreal moments that capture the pervasive unease in Gaza, and in the quiet strength of Abbass' performance.

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Tom Long Detroit News May 15, 2009 B

This is a film about a problem, not a solution, and it's effectively upsetting.

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Walter V. Addiego San Francisco Chronicle May 8, 2009 3/4

The story, based on a real incident, may be simplistic, but that's the nature of fables. The direction is sure-handed, and the acting is good, particularly by the very appealing Abbass.

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Chris Hewitt St. Paul Pioneer Press May 8, 2009 2.5/4

It's not fantastic, but if you like Abbass in The Visitor, she's even better here.

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