X
  • 2020
  • Kino Lorber
  • 1 h 25 m
  • 2020
  • Kino Lorber
  • 1 h 25 m

Summary Despite the desperate protestations of his single mother (Claire Bodson), a Muslim teenager (Idir Ben Addi) in a small Belgian town is being gradually radicalized into extremism. He winds up hatching a murderous plot targeting his beloved teacher (Myriem Akheddiou).

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Written By: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

  • 2020
  • Kino Lorber
  • 1 h 25 m
  • 2020
  • Kino Lorber
  • 1 h 25 m

Young Ahmed

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 21 Critic Reviews
66
User Score Mixed or Average Based on 9 User Ratings
5.6
My Score
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Where to Watch

Summary Despite the desperate protestations of his single mother (Claire Bodson), a Muslim teenager (Idir Ben Addi) in a small Belgian town is being gradually radicalized into extremism. He winds up hatching a murderous plot targeting his beloved teacher (Myriem Akheddiou).

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Written By: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 21 Critic Reviews
66
62% Positive
13 Reviews
38% Mixed
8 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 21 Critic Reviews
66
62% Positive
13 Reviews
38% Mixed
8 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
100
Mar 5, 2020
Young Ahmed may be described as a coming-of-age story, a searing character study, a visceral tale of redemption, a critique of extremism and the society that seems oblivious to and/or helpless against such evil.
By Alex Saveliev FULL REVIEW
80
Aug 6, 2020
Young Ahmed might be major filmmakers in a minor mode, but it is still a riveting, beautifully made character study that provokes compassion and controversy in equal measures.
By Ian Freer FULL REVIEW
75
Feb 14, 2020
Like its anti-hero, Young Ahmed is narrow in focus, intimate in detail and troubling in its monomania. Start to finish, it forces one despairing question on us, one it cannot answer. Can Young Ahmed be saved?
By Roger Moore FULL REVIEW
67
May 21, 2019
Young Ahmed isn’t a folly, exactly. It’s reasonably gripping on a scene-by-scene level, and about as starkly unsentimental as any of the Dardennes’ lean, urgent moral thrillers. But its inability to shine a light on Ahmed’s soul leaves it feeling more like an exercise than anything the brothers have made, especially by its hasty, unearned ending.
By A.A. Dowd FULL REVIEW
60
Feb 20, 2020
The brothers tend not to dally much with their narratives, but even adjusting for their typical brevity, Young Ahmed feels like a cursory examination of the social issues they raise. It lacks the incisiveness of their other glances directly into the heart of Belgian society.
By Marshall Shaffer FULL REVIEW
50
Mar 5, 2020
The film never really delves beyond the level of observation and the simplistic explanations it does offer are not very satisfying; cloaking possible mental illness in religious zealotry simply clouds whatever the directors meant to convey.
By Kevin Crust FULL REVIEW
42
Feb 20, 2020
All in all, Young Ahmed is not without merit. It’s an admirable attempt at portraying an immigrant experience relatively unfamiliar to the Belgian filmmaking pair, expertly directed with a number of noteworthy performances from its largely non-professional cast. Still, there’s the failure to provide nuance to a story and subject matter that practically necessitates it by nature of the intended tone.
FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 9 User Ratings
5.6
56% Positive
5 Ratings
22% Mixed
2 Ratings
22% Negative
2 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 9 User Ratings
5.6
56% Positive
5 Ratings
22% Mixed
2 Ratings
22% Negative
2 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company Les Films du Fleuve, Archipel 35, France 2 Cinéma, Proximus, Radio Télévision Belge Francophone (RTBF), Canal+, Ciné+, France Télévisions, Wallimage, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale, Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Eurimages, Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral Belge, Casa Kafka Pictures Movie Tax Shelter Empowered by Belfius
Release Date Feb 21, 2020
Duration 1 h 25 m
Genres
Website http://www.bitters.co.jp/sonoteni/
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Awards

Magritte Awards, Belgium
• 2 Wins & 9 Nominations
Valladolid International Film Festival
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Cannes Film Festival
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations

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