The antithesis of Hollywood film product: well played, well scripted and well filmed. The critics' average score is not a fair measure of the humanity so deftly captured in this work.

Outstanding film, wonderfully directed, superbly acted. Touching, very well written and always interesting. Good score, excellent character development. A winner.

The pace is somewhat slow, but if you can get past that minor hurdle, this is quite a nice film. Donna C. described it as charming, although I normally don't use the word, it pretty much sums this film up. A simple story, told in a straight forward manner, 'The Band's Visit' is breath of fresh air. Check it out.

One of the finest examples of film aesthetics. One can never be bored or tired of watching this beautifully made movie.

Charming, but so slow it was tedious.

All dressed up and nowhere to go, the Egyptian Invasion of Israel gets off to an ignominious start when The Alexandria Police Ceremonial Orchestra find themselves in the wrong town, the wrong Bet Hatkiva. This Bet Hatkiva is practically a ghost town, whose chosen people, choose to live by the tenets of minimalism. In spite of the orchestra's extended layover, these stoic musicians remain in their formal blue uniforms, which grows increasingly hilarious as they clash repeatedly with the drab interiors and exteriors of the town. The band is like some straight-laced person's acid flashback. The clash of egos between Tewfiq(Sasson Gabai) and Simon(Khalifa Natour), and the filmmaker's absurdest sensibilities, results in a film that suggests "This is Spinal Tap" by Beckett. Tewfiq and Dina(Ronit Elkabetz) sit on a "park" bench, waiting, not for Godot, but for love to arrive. Unfortunately, Dina makes an offhanded comment about Arab men which rankles the lieutenant-colonel; so natural, is the buried expression, like breathing, does her deal-breaking words of racial stereotyping, suddenly politicize their sitting and talking, once mired with great expectations for love. Alas, God rears its ugly head. Wistful, but never gloomy(like the "gloomy girl", a possible nod to Aki Kaurismaki's "Leningrad Cowboys Go America"), "The Band's Visit" shares the same comic touch for miniature emotions as the Finnish master of the subtle ha-ha.… Expand