Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

Rexanne It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Jaffe This is my first time posting a review, but I felt that this picture in particular needs the introduction that I can give to it:When initially asked if I would recommend this film I responded, "Ah, recommend? ... I don't think so." In retrospect, I think that it can be appreciated, provided that one understands the viewpoint of its Israeli writer/director.I'll digress briefly to address the elephant in the room: Richard Gere. I was initially offended that he was allowed to (and that he had the gall to) play a Jew, but he was actually very good in the role. Without chewing the scenery, he showed that he's a talented actor who can "just go into character," and for him "less is more."Now, there are two main points I think every viewer needs to know: First, it's a very Israeli movie (and that's what it is); you either know what that means or you simply do not. And, secondly, Israelis are looking for "the message" or "the lesson" of the film, which isn't clear, and most complain that "it has no plot." Non-Israelis, on the other hand, are left asking themselves if there are gaping holes in the film that are just not filled in, and thus find it "very confusing" or "totally unrealistic." I, however, understand what the director is going for. He's seeing Israeli politics through the eyes of 90% of Israelis (who all want pretty much the same thing: "to part with the Arabs"). Through that lens, he presents the image an ideal Israeli political candidate who's actually capable of making a difference (i.e. "peace"), and when the wheels start moving to oust him, as they do in Israel with any successful politician, our attention is focused on the internal conflict of his "Diaspora Jewish businessman" vis-à-vis whether he can be altruistic enough, or just desperate enough, to realize the greater picture and appreciate the sincere relationship he has with this great scion, and perhaps to be ready to give up the short-lived glory he can finally reap from these events and even to fall on his own sword for the sake of the greater good.Once I realised what it was, I sat back with no vested interest in the outcome and just enjoyed it like a foibled fairytale (or a story submitted by a child) portrayed onscreen by an A-list cast.Without actively recommending it, I'm just telling the public what it is. A fourth-to-sixth grader's story (including that child's perception of reality and wishful thinking) presented by an A-list cast ... in which, if any of it were to happen then this is actually how it would play out. When you accept that this is the case, that you're missing nothing and that this is how Middle East politics actually plays out on the ground (that's right, you're not missing anything, this really is the circus of politics in Israel as it's portrayed in this film), then maybe you can sit back and allow yourself to enjoy it too.

eddie_baggins At a stage in his career, Hollywood heartthrob Richard Gere was one of the industry's most recognisable leading men.Roles in notable films like Days of Heaven, American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman then key performances in 90's hits like Pretty Woman, First Knight, Primal Fear and Runaway Bride established Gere in the big time, only for the 2000's to be a relatively uneventful period for the famous actor.While having the odd sprinkling of decent films in the last 17 or so years, Joseph Cedar's Norman provides Gere with what's arguably the now near 70 year old actor with one of the roles of his longstanding career.Far from a huge hit, Norman is however one of those carefully constructed character studies that finds Gere playing New York City fixer (aka shyster) Norman Oppenheimer, a tragically determined "business operator/middleman" that finds himself in over his head after a chance meeting with a down on his luck politician turned Israeli prime minister Micha Eshel.It's an intimate film, one in which Gere appears in almost every scene and Gere owns his character, that is in many ways a deplorable wannabe big city player but also a character that remains endearing right till the films effective finale.Surrounded by recognisable co-stars Dan Stevens, Steve Buscemi, Michael Sheen and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Norman is absolutely Gere's film.At times in amongst an unnecessarily convoluted and complicated film, Gere holds his head up high in a role that would've seemed impossible for the actor in the peak of his 80/90 heydays and as Norman's life continues to spiral out of control and a new found sense of self-worth and importance creeps into his livelihood as a fixer and connector, Gere controls his performance in a film that doesn't quite match it with its leading man.Final Say – A unique experience and one that remains consistently engaging thanks purely to Gere's awards worthy turn, Norman is a small-scale character study of a man who's lost his sense of purpose in the world, only to find it again in the most unlikely of circumstances, making Norman a must-see for fans of character driven dramas and Gere aficionados.3 awkward dinner parties out of 5

mirla60 Had high hopes for this movie, Richard Gere is always a recommendation. As Norman, I barely recognized him, shows what a good actor he is. the 'plot' was not immediately clear,then I realized there was no clear plot. just a movie about a 'nebbishe' ( yiddish word for loser) man, who tries his best to fix things which don't need fixing, today we would say he is networking. After 1/2 an hour I understood the principle... the rest was boring, and very longwinded. Some of the acting was good, it is always very nice to see familiar parts of Manhattan ( I am from Amsterdam, Holland but visit NY often). In all , I don't recommend this movie; it would have been good if many scenes were cut...

admcdonough This is a really good film. It explores the inner motivations of people and everyone is not necessarily what they seem in this movie just as in real life. All of the characters in the film have their good points and bad points just as people do in real life. Your first reaction on meeting Norman himself is to dislike him as being just a struggling con artist. But very quickly you also start to develop empathy for him and actually even start rooting for him. I won't spoil the movie by giving away the ending except to say that for the first hour and a half you really don't know where everything is leading, but in the last half hour you will probably anticipate where it is going and what is going to happen next and ultimately the ending. All of the performances are top rate, but a special shout out to Richard Gere as Norman. He has been underrated for years since I think many people just think anyone that good looking can't be a good actor. And even now in his 60's he's still a really good looking man. But this performance was great with him hitting every note yet employing subtlety as he does it. Oscars nominations and wins are generally a result of promotion and politics nowadays, so you never know how or why someone gets nominated, but this was an Oscar nomination worthy performance by Gere.