User Reviews

Beautifully-filmed road movie with long musical sequences. The tale of two losers that hit the road to reach Algeria from Paris is peppered with vibrant musical interludes that echo their journey back to their roots, from nose-bleed techno, through passionate flamenco to raw Algerian trance. Once they get there, Gatlif loses his hand a little by not concluding the story. Naima is portrayed as a loose cannon throughout the movie, with hints to her past and a huge question mark over her future. Neither of these is I think is answered conclusively. On a sidenote, is this not one of the most explosive women on screen since "Betty Blue"?

But a pretty entertaining tale very well played by the two lead actors, Lubna Azabal and Romain Duris.

In Tony Gatlif's distinctive film 'Exils', we meet a young French couple: he is ethnically French, she is Arab, but both had Algerian ancestors, and the movie follows them after they spontaneously decide to abandon Paris and investigate their roots. The couple are presented in the film as very sensual, and the music and images that surround (and define) them are shared also by the viewer. The film touches on some interesting ideas, notably the not always chosen trade-off between freedom and belonging, and ends with a remarkable extended sequence depicting an Arab ritual of personal abandonment that bears comparison to (and is in fact more disturbing than) anything from 'The Exorcist'. What it doesn't have is much of a conventional plot beyond the collage of sights and sounds; and the characters, though strongly-drawn, do not evolve dramatically over the course of the movie. It's still a striking piece of work; but fiction is being used here, rather than serving as an end in itself.

As I watched this movie, I became more and more curious, because of the director's obvious love for music. In fact, not only did he direct the movie, he also created much of the music that added up to a stunning soundtrack. But when I get back to my computer, I see that I have in fact already seen a movie by him - Swing - in which wee Max develops an understanding of gypsy culture and guitar playing. He is also famous in certain quarters for Latcho Drom, a movie I have never seen.

Exiles has, at its heart, a road movie. Zano is an Algerian in Paris, completely cut off from his roots - the film opens with him staring out of his flat window over the rooftops, no doubt imagining a different life, because he turns to his girlfriend, Naima, and says "lets go to Algeria". As you do. Naima is harder to work out - for the most part, she seems pretty banal, trivial even, interested solely in her own immediate pleasures. So, when she's in a bar one night, she thinks nothing of slinking off with another man just because he gives her the eye. But there might be reasons - they're not well explored, but it is suggested that she is even more rootless than Zano, with absolutely no expectations. Living for the immediate moment makes sense in that situation. I've said that she's his girlfriend, but I may have over-stated it: we see nothing at all of their prior relationship and only learn that they have a shared history of making porn flicks. Zano doesn't know her well enough to have been told her birthday. It may even be that by the end, she does find a connection within herself, is grounded. If she is, it is music which does it for her.

So, anyway, they are ostensibly walking to Algeria, but we see very little of them actually walking - trains seem to be the preferred mode. They jump a train to near Seville, not Seville itself because the ticket collector is on his way to check their non-existent tickets. They spend some time picking fruit around Seville, and having sex among the (I think) nectarine trees - gorgeous images in this part in particular, with the lush green leaves, the brilliantly red-skinned fruit and two beautiful people playing with each other. Seville, it turns out, is something of a staging post - they meet several Algerians working the fruit fields making their way to Paris because, there, you can get fake work papers. So, there's a nice point being made about our heroes doing the reverse, going to Algeria from Paris for their specific dream of getting in touch with their background. As they get closer to Algeria, they meet more and more refugees flowing the other way.

Their trip is otherwise fairly straight-forward, apart from stealing a ride in a van onto a ferry that's not going to Algeria at all, with a consequent need to take a long ride through near desert in a ramshackle bus that breaks down, after which they're smuggled across the border. The two things that stand out throughout their journey are the scenery and the music - in all the pubs in Seville, we see these impromptu gatherings of musicians just jamming. The back seat of the bus has three or four musicians to provide a live sound track for the trip.

When they don't have live music, Zano and Naima are both plugged into their respective disc-mans - giving Gatlif and his musical collaborator, Delphine Mantoulet, a chance to show off their music. I think this was deliberate - but as they approach their destination, there is less and less reliance on this recorded music and local live music predominates. This culminates in the final main scene - there's a gathering of musicians - a handful of percussionists with little bongo type drums held on their shoulders, a fellow with something not much bigger than a ukulele but with a much deeper sound, and various female voices, ululating rather than singing. Their tempos starts slow and reaches the orgasmic. Naimo is more and more feral in her dancing - she completely lets go and is controlled by the music. I really do think that this is showing her developing a connection with her roots: after all, it follows a scene in which she's told that her vacancy is down to being entirely groundless.

This movie is a bit weird, but it's a nice multicultural experience though. It's about a man and a woman which are French but have Algerian routs that go on a journey (on a walk trip!) to find out these routs in Alger. They cross the south of Spain and meet many people, from Arabs to Gypsy. This film is very interesting from the cultural point of view, but is a bit weird sometimes, because we don't know anything about these characters, who are they, where they came from. Just during the trip we start finding out something about them, but even so many questions still open after the movie ends. It's an artsy movie, that's for sure, with a great cultural and musical impact, but it gets a bit strange and boring at parts. The plot could have been better, but I'll score it 7/10 because of the great soundtrack (which has Flamenco, Arab and Electro/Techno music), the very weird tribal-ritual scene (near the end), and also the artsy cinematography.

Exils (2004) (Exiles) was written, produced, and directed by Tony Gatlif. I saw this film at the 2005 Cinefranco Film Festival in Toronto. (www.cinefranco.com)

This movie is a odyssey of sorts. Both Zano, played by Romain Duris, and Naima (Lubna Azabal) live in France, but have ties that draw them back to Algeria. The film follows their slow but determined trip southward.

Since they are traveling without funds--or even a map--they naturally need help from others along the way. These interactions with the people they meet on the road are fascinating. The two characters are not exactly role models for today's youth, but you have to admire their tenacity and their unwillingness to turn back.

Not a masterpiece, but an interesting movie that's worth seeking out.

A spiritual journey for the characters and audience alike. I saw this film at a film festival not knowing what to expect. There is not much plot or drama and for viewers seeking those they might be disappointed. What this film does have though is spirit and at intoxicating levels too. The cinematography combined with the music and the journey of the characters combine to put the receptive audience in a kind of trance. An especially memorable scene is a 15 - 20 minute long scene in which the female heroine is exorcised Algerian style, building slowly to a trance. The whole scene is filmed as one shot and the camera is more of a participant than an observer. An experience not to be missed.

at first i thought that it was not a good idea to see this film.And after watching it at a film festival in Ankara.I agreed that it's not a bad movie but has some good moments. But i can even cannot understand how Gatlif could achieve best director award at Cannes with this one? because there is no such points that directing shines in this one.But acting is just fine and using the music is the key for the film.

this film is not for every moviegoer,however it speaks about north Africa-french connection.and especially the people have great grip to life with music and traveling,finding their real path.

but in fact the movie lacks of some special elements for being a perfect one tells the story of exiles i think.

when the credits are shown you think that is it enough?where is the plot anyway.

i can say no more about this one.

i say you that you can go and consider that it touches your feelings for yourself.

"Exils" is terrific on many levels. Beautiful composition, locations, light, cinematography, performances, and music. The story moves from one marvelous setting to another. The shot's are beautifully composed. The people are "real." I'm amazed that one of the previous reviewers is disturbed by sensuality. It seems that the characters are a bit too real for that person. I'm surprised at the number of other reviewers on this site that fail to connect with the essence of "Exils." Maybe they've never traveled on the cheap or experienced the beauty of random meetings and relying on the good will of strangers. Watch it again if you have the time.

EXILES is a Tony Gatlif fantasy, complete with lots of music and dance, of what it might be like for a young French couple of Algerian roots, to hitch their way from France back to Algeria (for most, these days, it's the other way 'round). The two seem not to have much or any money, but then they do, but then they don't. They occasionally work to pay their way (with a rather laissez-faire attitude, I must say), screw (not always with each other), and have beaucoup psychological problems. For a couple who carries no baggage, there is way too much emotional baggage here. That's usually the mark of a young filmmaker, but as Mr. Gatlif is nearing 60, I guess we'll have to chalk it up to something else.

I call his film a fantasy because, try as I did to believe these characters and their situation, I couldn't. Or, if they ARE believable, then they are also sometimes simply too stupid to be endured: the couple sneaks aboard a ship without knowing where it's going; they haven't bothered to bone up on Algeria enough to know that certain of its borders have been closed for several years; worst of all, they have no clue that women in Muslim/Arab countries are expected to cover themselves (the year here is 2004, well past 9/11/01, and these are Frenchies, for Christ's sake: If they are not used to Algerians, who the hell IS?). On the plus side we have a lot of color, music and dance, nice cinematography (dig that succulent orange near the finale) and the gorgeous Romain Duris (most recently of "Russian Dolls" and "The Beat My Heart Skipped"). Mr. Duris, hirsute and slender, appears fully nude, front and back, in a rather lengthy shot at the film's beginning; this may be more than enough to induce some viewers to stick around. Did I mention that the film deals in fantasy?

If you have the ability to get a story from great images and great music, you might adore this movie as much as I do. If you like traveling, this is a journey into the Arabian world, and also towards the inner soul.

The plot and story are not on the surface, but there's enough, if you are able to take it... Maybe it helps if you're not too much part of the individualistic, and sometimes very empty and flat western society these French Algerians are getting away form, to find their roots...

An auditive and visual pleasure, a sexy and messed up trip to who they are, and were they wanna be... And it's a great pleasure to get there with them!

I had been waiting to watch this movie for at least 6 months,since the French cultural center in Jordan announced the programme of the monthly screening of a french movie. My enthusiasm came from my acquaintance with Tony Gatlif's music through the soundtrack of his movie "Vengo" which will always be one of my all times favorites; so full of passion and authenticity. Also later on I purchased Swing's OST of which I had the chance to watch only the last scenes on TV. So this time I was waiting -or couldn't wait- to live the complete experience of Gatlif's blend of music & images.

I have NEVER left in the middle of a movie,no matter how horrifying or boring it was, and it is really disappointing for this to be my first time for a film i was so impatient to see. I found the sexuality to be greatly disturbing, but I actually left because it seemed like it was the only thing that was going on. For the first hour of the movie very little music was played (for a movie for which the main raison d'etre is the music itself!). As a viewer I didn't enjoy any of the scenery as the couple traveled, nothing impressive,characteristic or memorable. Same would go for the actors' performance. So instead of walking out with my soul drenched with great universal music, I walked "away" in a terrible frame of mind. Truly a painful and a shocking experience.

I have rated 2 instead of 1 (awful)for the sake of the only soundtrack I really enjoyed (and had the chance to listen to before I left), which is the flamenco at the bar scene. I wish there was more of this passionate music through the first half of the movie for I would have stayed till the end. I don't mind a certain degree of sexuality and a plot less movie as long as the cinematography and the enchanting music would make up for everything.

...just commenting on the bit where you mention porno flicks - I didn't have the same take on the situation in this regard. My impression is NOT that they were actual porn actors, but that Zano is basically accusing Naima of being a bit of a slut and to insult her he says "where did you learn to f^&* anyway?" to which she replies, "I learned from porn films like you!". The story alludes to the fact that Naima has had a bit of a rough life so far and this may be why she has issues with intimacy leading to promiscuity. Also, the story also hints that Zano and Naima haven't known each that long before they decide to go on this road trip-hence some of the conversations the couple have to find out more.

I was very impatient to see this movie as I thought it would be a reflection on identity punctuated by beautiful photos, but I got very disappointed. I had never left a movie theater before the end of the movie, but I just could not stand it for this film.

First, I found the characters absolutely uninteresting. The director gives no incentive for the viewer to "like" these two losers, who have absolutely no depth and who are vulgar. It is a crucial problem for a plot whose major theme is "search for identity"... Empty characters are not good subjects for an exciting introspection.

Second, there was no interesting discussion / scene. Most discussions are about sex, or are complaints in a very basic, low class French.

Third, I found the movie was politically biased. The director seems to try to add "an intellectual touch" to his movie with comments about socialism or History that come without context, and whose objective truth is questionable. This does not add anything to the movie, and it just reinforces the impression that this is a very fast-fetched work.

Only some "photos" were positive in this film, but these rare moments cannot make up for the overall mediocrity of characters and dialogs.

I watched this film on French TV recently, and I was pleasantly surprised. I'll admit the main reason I watched this was Romain Duris, who I was so impressed with in De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté. This is actually a really good movie, the music especially really fits well with the scenarios, which is what one would expect from a film by Tony Gatlif. The direction is good and the story is told at quite a pace, so you won't get bored.

I watched this without subtitles but that didn't cause me a problem at all. Some parts are really funny (i.e. Zano trying to talk Spanish) and others really sad (Zano crying). I'd certainly recommend watching it especially if you fancy something different from the hum-drum American-ised film style. I really enjoyed seeing this, as it isn't entirely dependant on language, but instead has scenes where the emphasis is on movement, vocalisation and music.

After I watched this I found I kept thinking about it - always the mark of a film that connects with you in some shape or form. However, I warn you, this film may give you the urge to go road-tripping to Algeria. 8/10