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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Darshan, The Embrace
Mixed or average reviews
Based on 12 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 6 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by:
Manuel De La Roche
Jan Kounen
Directed by: Jan Kounen
Release Date:
Theatrical: July 26, 2006
DVD: November 14, 2006
Running Time: 93 minutes, Color
Origin: France / Germany / Japan
Language(s): English / French / Malayalam (with English subtitles)
Summary
RATING: Not Rated
Starring Mata Amritanandamayi Devi
Amma, one of India's most famous "Mahatmas" or spiritual guides, is known internationally for her charitable donations, fight for peace, and work with illiteracy. In 2002, she won the Gandhi King Prize for her work, joining a prestigious group of winners that include, Nelson Mandela and Khofi Annan. This film is a chronicle of her journey throughout India, traveling with her inner circle to visit with her disciples. (IFC Films)
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site Official French Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
TV Guide Ken Fox
Sebastien Pentecouteau's startlingly beautiful cinematography lends the film a dreamlike quality and perfectly suits Kounen's mystical subject matter.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White
Movies about gurus generally fail to capture the charisma of their subjects. French director Jan Kounen's documentary on Amma, India's hugging saint, who allegedly has given restorative embraces to more than 45 million supplicants, is no exception.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington
Jan Kounen, the maker of Darshan, is a French director with flashy credentials, including music videos, commercials, horror shorts, violent gangster movies ("Dobermann") and offbeat westerns ("Blueberry").
Read Full Review >Variety Lisa Nesselson
Docu's pace will be a little too meditative for many, but the rigorous, sinewy lensing will have Hypnotic power on those so inclined.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis
Filling our heads with pretty pictures and not much else, Darshan: The Embrace is likely to leave audiences enchanted but unenlightened.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Wesley Morris
According to several sojourners who speak in the film, Amma is the embodiment of love. And according to her website, it's her religion, too.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Andrea Gronvall
Scenes of pageantry and mass prayer show that thousands respond to her charisma, but Kounen gives little insight why; aside from Amma's belief that creator and creation are one, her religious tenets remain a mystery.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Tim Grierson
Unless you're already a true believer, Amma comes across in Darshan as a perfect angel, a frustrating enigma and a rather dull cinematic subject.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times John Anderson
While Amma's teachings of love, inner peace and Karma, or action, resonate in the film -- obviously, Amma is a woman called to God -- her background remains pretty much a mystery. Less National Geographic and more personal history would have added a dimension to "Darshan."
Read Full Review >New York Post V.A. Musetto
When it comes to magnetism, the Rolling Stones have nothing on Amma, the Indian mahatma ("spiritual guide") chronicled in Jan Kounen's handsomely photographed but one-sided documentary.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Ben Kenigsberg
Werner Herzog's "Wheel of Time" was, in a sense, the Buddhist equivalent of this film, as well as a more illuminating look at the power and transience of ritual.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 9.3 (out of 10) based on 6 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Ellen J. gave it a7:
Not a great documentary, but a "must see" for anyone who has been hugged by Ammachi and would like to imagine what it would be like to be in India with her. So much more could be have been said about the inner life of her devotees and their experiences with her.
Ron M. gave it a10:
This film is simply amazing! I would take any number of friends to view it. It's a piece of heaven on earth! Thank you!
Ferenc S. gave it a10:
Great visuals, however the story could have gone more in depth about what Amma and the Darshan(or the Embrace) really is doing to people and how it effects their lives so positively. These people could tell so many touching stories. Also her life-story is not much explained, it would be worth a movie by itself.
Millen M. gave it a10:
This movie is visually stunning and deeply moving. There is little dialogue as the subject matter, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi defies mental constructs and intellectualism. Those who are meant to be moved, will definitely be. Have a look at the charming face of love and compassion.
Victor M. gave it a10:
An unsual, but very important film about one of the greatest workers for peace of our time.
