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The Dictator

Name: The Dictator
Genre: Comedy
Released: May 16, 2012
Duration: 83 min
Rating: 58
Cast: Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen

2012

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 41 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 485 Ratings

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6.4

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6.4	Your Score
6.4	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 485 Ratings

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THE DICTATOR

Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: May 16, 2012 | R

Starring: Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley, John C. Reilly, Sacha Baron Cohen

Summary: The film tells the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. It is inspired by the best selling novel "Zabibah and The King" by Saddam Hussein. (Paramount Pictures)

Director: Larry Charles

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 83 min

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Awards & Rankings

31	#31 Most Discussed Movie of 2012
42	#42 Most Shared Movie of 2012

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Movieline Stephanie Zacharek

May 15, 2012

The Dictator, for all its liberal leanings, doesn't let anyone off the hook, not even well-intentioned liberals. Cohen comes right out and says things that most of us, in polite conversation, wouldn't dare. He knows it's the impolite conversation that really gets things moving. Read full review

Richard Corliss

May 11, 2012

Fans of the nasty Baron Cohen may regret his being borderline nice in The Dictator. But we should welcome his decision to stop being the best at something few others dare try and instead to inhabit a more familiar comedy style--just going denser, wilder, better. He pulls it off. Read full review

Steven Rea

May 16, 2012

Mixes its high and low comedy with surprising success. Read full review

Michael Phillips

May 11, 2012

Cohen at his best is both brazen and sly. As is The Dictator. Read full review

Shawn Levy

May 15, 2012

The Dictator has a few laughs along its bumpy path, but not enough of them to indicate that Cohen has found a means to escape the shadows of his early career and forge a second act for himself. Read full review

Wesley Morris

May 14, 2012

You're left with an inert, politically neutral movie, a satire that can't bring itself to properly satirize anything. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

May 14, 2012

Even amid the hit-and-miss broadsides and laugh-free longueurs that comprise most of The Dictator, Cohen's acute hypocrisy-detector keeps on ticking, if barely. Read full review

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User Reviews

Wesshole

May 20, 2012

Haha, all people beneath me are hating the movie... I liked it very much tough, just laughing, not the best plot ever, but i can live with that!! not every movie can be the green mile or something. and of course its stupid sometimes, but Sacha Baron Cohen's face makes a lot good.

8 of 13 users found this helpful85

Alanbrito2000

Aug 15, 2012

Excellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of the best comedy movie ever! Simply perfect. I love Aladeen! Excellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of the best comedy movie ever! Simply perfect. I love Aladeen! Excellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of theExcellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of the best comedy movie ever! Simply perfect. I love Aladeen! Excellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of the best comedy movie ever! Simply perfect. I love Aladeen! Excellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of the best comedy movie ever! Simply perfect. I love Aladeen! Excellent movie! Sacha Baron Cohen is back with one of the best comedy movie ever! Simply perfect. I love Aladeen!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

zendoa

Jun 13, 2012

Put away your insecurities about stereotypes and politically incorrect insensitivity, slap on a sense of humor and go laugh freely and unrestrained for once in your life. With slapstick hilarity and an almost adorable quantity of ignorant prejudice, this film is on par with Talladega NightsPut away your insecurities about stereotypes and politically incorrect insensitivity, slap on a sense of humor and go laugh freely and unrestrained for once in your life. With slapstick hilarity and an almost adorable quantity of ignorant prejudice, this film is on par with Talladega Nights in terms of sitcom and satire. For those overcompensating, insecure and in-denial closet cases that preferred Bruno and Borat (for certain parts found offensive to everyone else) more than his roles as Ali-G, or Julien from Madagascar, this films won't offer you much in the way of "certain" scenes, but for the rest of us The Dictator is both intelligent and political in its' dialogue and scenario. The level of maturity and complexity is well below average, which is pure genius since in this way it can be spoon-fed to the majority and still make an impact. Unfortunately, due to previous titles and their depictions it seems as though many movie goers are shying away from Sacha Baron Cohen's films and the ones left and still willing to pay the price of admission appear to be part of the "shockingly below average" category. If you are a normal, well-adjusted person that enjoys mainstream comedy, then The Dictator will not disappoint.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

movielover55

May 28, 2012

the start is a little weird and hard to understand but the rest is hilarious you will laugh until you cant laugh anymore you must see it. i loced ecery moement one of the best comedy movies to see

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Seriosity

Nov 4, 2012

When it is funny, it is really funny. Unfortunately, it tries to be a movie and have an actual plot and you buy none of it. It completely falls apart.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Headcrusher

Aug 18, 2012

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I rented the movie and saw the extended uncut version - I found it mildly entertaining although it just wasn't that funny - I did like the scene toward the end about the US "dictatorship" I think it would've been better without the whole love story sub-plot. About a year after 9-11 some friends and I came up with a concept for a terrorist comedy that made fun of everyone, terrorists, politicians, the media ect. and began writing the script - but we dropped it because we decided no one would ever produce it for fear of a fatwa being issued - maybe that same fear kept this film from being as funny as it could have been.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

gunnyart

May 30, 2012

No redeeming quality whatsoever! I should have known better than to give a Cohen movie another shot. The only positive thing I can say about it is... It's his best movie yet. The bar is just set so low.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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