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A Hologram for the King
2016 98 min Germany, United States of America, France, Mexico, Switzerland R 18+
★6.3
Comedy, Drama
Director: Tom Tykwer
🎭 Based on
«A Hologram for the King»
byDave Eggers
Trailers
Description
Alan Clay, a struggling American businessman, travels to Saudi Arabia to sell a new technology to the King, only to be challenged by endless Middle Eastern bureaucracy, a perpetually absent monarch, and a suspicious growth on his back.
Budget:
$30M
US Gross:
$4.21M
Worldwide:
$9.17M
Starring
Tom Hanks
Actor
Omar Elba
Actor
Sarita Choudhury
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 3 nominations total
Key opinion
A Hologram for the King is a contemplative, visually evocative character study that relies heavily on Tom Hanks' performance to anchor its meditative exploration of midlife crises and cultural displacement. While fans of atmospheric, character-driven cinema appreciate its gentle charm and scenic photography, detractors find the narrative structure aimless, the screenplay underdeveloped, and the tonal shifts between satire and melodrama jarring.
| Acting | Tom Hanks anchors the film with a sympathetic, seasoned performance that remains a central pillar of the viewer experience. | |
| Cinematography | Cinematographer Frank Griebe creates a visually immersive experience, effectively utilizing desert landscapes and vivid imagery to convey the protagonist's existential state. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is criticized for being narratively thin, often failing to sustain its central conceit or provide satisfying resolutions to its subplots. | |
| Theme | The film evokes comparisons to 'Lost in Translation,' focusing on cultural friction and isolation, yet critics are divided on whether this thematic depth succeeds or results in an aimless, plot-free experience. | |
| Ending | Opinions on the ending are polarized, with some viewers finding it a charming and hopeful resolution, while others dismiss it as an abrupt and unearned melodramatic shift. |