Le fils de l'autre 2012

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Ms. Levy is rescued from her maudlin, preachy tendencies by the skill and sensitivity of the actors, who turn a wobbly parable of tolerance into a graceful and touching story of real people in a surreal situation. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: Transcends its switched-at-birth premise to a degree that's surprising, considering that the well-worn plot militates against surprise. Read more

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: A thoughtful bridging of a cultural divide. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: The Other Son's setup is too contrived, carried along by conversations that are either confrontational or artificially elusive. Read more

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: The movie is shameless and simple yet solemn at the same time. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: The intention here is plain - we are all human, we can all be family - but Levy weaves the mix of identity crises, cultural mingling and common ground slyly. Read more

Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter: Moving French drama tackles the Israeli-Palestinian conflict via a pair of prodigal sons accidentally switched at birth. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: "The Other Son" is a case of good intentions overwhelming the inherent drama - quite simply, political correctness got the best of it Read more

Stanley Kauffmann, The New Republic: It is easy to imagine other, darker, results after the opening accident, but Levy's film, pitched firmly as if it were the only possibility, makes it seem so. Read more

John Anderson, Newsday: Levy handles with aplomb what could easily have been a messy mix of emotions and politics. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: In the end, it seems, this is not a story about two families, and two lands. It's a story about one family, and one world. Read more

Ella Taylor, NPR: It's hard not to feel carried along by the generously conciliatory spirit that warms The Other Son ... Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: This beautifully photographed drama is well-played throughout with great conscience without becoming heavy-handed. Read more

Farran Smith Nehme, New York Post: "The Other Son'' is played with warmth and conviction by its cast. But it's also a little pat and toothless, set in an Israel where not even the notorious border crossings seem that difficult. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: A parablelike melodrama with obvious symbolic meaning. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: I wonder how this story would play out if they were both still quite young. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: Levy generally succeeds in creating a compelling, humanistic family drama, even if some viewers may reject the movie's final note of optimism. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: A humane but emotionally anemic message movie whose dramatic craft doesn't live up to its good intentions. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "The Other Son" is such a disarming feat that cynics will get left at the checkpoint. Read more

Matt Singer, Time Out: The cast's performances are so gut-wrenching (particularly from Emmanuelle Devos and Areen Omari as the boys' equally empathic mothers) that the film's hopeful message and abundance of heart prove impossible to resist. Read more

Boyd van Hoeij, Variety: An adequate if never surprising effort from French helmer Lorraine Levy. Read more

Simon Abrams, Village Voice: Ham-fisted dialogue and cliched characterizations trump genuine chemistry in The Other Son, a contrived Franco-Israeli drama about two 18-year-olds, an Israeli and a Palestinian, accidentally switched at birth. Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: Even though [Levy] executes with a light touch, it tends to feel a little simplistic given how deep-seated and persistent the Palestine-Israel conflict is. Read more