Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Don't Believe the Hype

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

This movie is absolutely great & moving in its special way .. this was Ziad's debut .. director Ziad Doueiri worked before with Quentin Tarantino in his 1st three movies (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction & Jackie Brown) he surely did a nice job as a cameraman & director assistant. Working with such a good director like QT must have given him some valuable lessons. Anyway, his way of direction has nothing to do with QT's .. everyone of them has his own magnificent vision. This movie really takes us back to Beirut when it was a victim to the racist people & war traders .. the Lebanese civil war is very complicated even to the Lebanese people .. So, it is impossible to give the necessary information about the war in one movie, Ziad Doueiri overcome that problem by giving us a glimpse full of symbols & signs about the war. Instead of focusing on the fighting scenes he showed the horror of war through the eyes of three Lebanese teenagers. I've been to Beirut & after watching the movie I automatically recalled my few days that I've spent in Beirut last year .. the movie really captures the spirit of Beirut at the time as I read in the amazing biography "Beirut .. Beirut" by Egyptian author Sonna'Allah Abrahaim which describes with details several places I've visited in Beirut, I can say confidently that the movie captures the spirit of Beirut with all of its blood and firer, captures the accents of the Lebanese people, it captures their habits, hopes & fears .. the movie tried to bring & show all the Lebanese diversity (in religion & backgrounds) together, and it worked even if for a little bit of time. The acting is amazing especially by Carmen Lebbos & Rami Doueiri. The movie won't give all the answers about the Lebanese civil war but it surely gives you a realistic & horrendous glimpse of a dirty war. this is movie is almost a masterpiece!.

i would never believe, how is the way Bayrouth was before the 1975s civil war, just when i saw this movie with couple of friends i just recognize the fortune in beside living.. this movie if full of information in beside the incredible actors. i really admit this is the best Arabian movie i ever seen. the motion of the wide civilization of the Mediterranean nation may become over the history pages, many information may disappear by time, this movie West Bayrouth supposed to re-inform the watchers of the tiny covers of the history whom frayed and frazzled by the recent conflicts. i advice to see the film! Just consecrate

I recently saw this movie on DVD and it was quite interesting and in a way moving. Although the movie could have been better such as more of the conflict could have been shown there were many moving parts such as the shooting of the bus. The movie shows what the Lebanese people had to go through under french rule. I would recommend it as its a good piece of history. The movie which begins in a school with mixed Christians and muslims was interesting and the fact that a Christian girl becomes best friends with two muslims just shows its not always about religion. Now though Lebanon is a mixed country with both Christians and muslims in harmony lets hope another civil war doesn't break out.

Well you certainly don't become an expert on Late 20th century Lebanese politics by watching this movie. But for those of us with an outside interest and a yawning gap of understanding and knowledge, this movie is superb "edutainment". It both educates and entertains.The transition of the civil war through the eyes of these youngsters, as the movie goes on is moving. It starts off more or less as an adventure. It takes time to dawn on the characters that the civil war is tearing their lives apart.The family debates about whether to stay or go are very moving. We know many people in the Lebanese community here in the UK, many of them (or their parents) must have gone through those heart-wrenching decisions back then.The "romance" between the Muslim boy(s) and the Christian girl is also moving. It avoids the trap of descending into a Levantine Romeo & Juliet, however it seems a shame that the girl seems to just drift out of the story-line just at the point that we are all falling in love with her!See it, it will be worth it.