Ishtar

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Ishtar

PG-13,

1987,

1h 47m,

Comedy

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40%

60 Reviews

Tomatometer

39%

5,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

40%

Tomatometer

60 Reviews

39%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Booked in Marrakech, two New York singers (Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman) stop in Ishtar, meet a beautiful rebel (Isabelle Adjani) and alarm the CIA.

Critics Consensus

Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, and laughter itself get lost in the desert during a flawed spoof of classic road movies that proves ill-suited for its mismatched and miscast stars.

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Nov 21, 2022

An elaborately antic musical of startling, even disturbing, originality.

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Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

Mar 19, 2019

0.5/4

The film fails at every level.

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Sheila Benson

Los Angeles Times

Mar 19, 2019

It is a smart, generous, genuinely funny affair. Sometimes, like the camel who almost ambles away with the picture, it's longish in the tooth, but it is based on an extremely astute vision of life.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 12, 2025

2.5/4

The 1980s saw the release of so many truly atrocious films (Stroker Ace, Bolero, Shanghai Surprise, etc.) that it's absurd "Ishtar" became shorthand for the worst of the worst and continues to be blasted by nitwits who haven't even seen it.

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David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Oct 27, 2024

1.5/4

Ishtar‘s slow-but-steady descent into complete tedium is triggered by a progressively tiresome midsection focused on the protagonists’ far-from-enthralling spy shenanigans...

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Ellie Lucas

From the Front Row

Apr 24, 2024

3/4

Plays its humor much more straight than the Hope/Crosby comedies, which may explain why it never connected with audiences, but it's that deadpan nature that really makes it work.

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Ron R

Jan 18, 2018

A vastly underrated movie, undermined by irrelevant pre-release reception. It didn't seem to accord with its huge budget but it's a sly, subtle and often hilarious film.

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Harry M

Jun 1, 2017

This is our families favorite movie of all times. Beats out Princess Bride. Elaine May's writing is amazing.we quote from it and sing the songs together.

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Hagrid W

Apr 2, 2017

A great, funny, under-rated film. More relevant today than when it was made.

Leia S

Feb 18, 2017

Seriously funny, albeit flawed, this film is a family favorite. Hilarious!

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Elaine May

Director

Warren Beatty

Lyle Rogers

Dustin Hoffman

Chuck Clarke

Isabelle Adjani

Shirra Assel

Charles Grodin

Jim Harrison

Jack Weston

Marty Freed

Made in America

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Ishtar: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Booked in Marrakech, two New York singers (Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman) stop in Ishtar, meet a beautiful rebel (Isabelle Adjani) and alarm the CIA.

Director: Elaine May
Producer: Warren Beatty
Screenwriter: Elaine May
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 15, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.7M
Runtime: 1h 47m

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