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Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

1974·Movie
1h 33min·NR

Where to watch

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul fingerprint

Big heart, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension5
  • Fast Pace4
  • Adrenaline3

Heart

Profoundly sad and moving

Much of it is about family.

  • Melancholy9
  • Pathos8
  • Family Dynamics8

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay4
  • Situational Comedy3
  • Cringe Humor3

World

Class and money, family, and society

  • World Immersion7
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability5

Craft

Standout performances and characters

  • Acting8
  • Character Depth8
  • Direction7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing6
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFriends NightPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensComfort WatchThought-Provoking

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Emmi Kurowski, a cleaning lady, is lonely in her old age. Her husband died years ago, and her grown children offer little companionship. One night she goes to a bar frequented by Arab immigrants and strikes up a friendship with middle-aged mechanic Ali. Their relationship soon develops into something more, and Emmi's family and neighbors criticize their spontaneous marriage. Soon Emmi and Ali are forced to confront their own insecurities about their future.
MelodramaSocial CommentaryInterracial RelationshipAge Gap RomanceCharacter-DrivenMelancholyCritique of Prejudice70s German CinemaImmigrant Experience

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Ali: Fear Eats the Soul legally?

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul is included with a subscription to HBO Max in the United States. You can also rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul worth watching?

91
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 91/100 (IMDb 8 and Rotten Tomatoes 100%). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul rated?

NR

It's rated NR in the United States.

How long is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul?

1 h 33 min

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul runs 1 h 33 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on Ali: Fear Eats the Soul?

Critics100
Audiences86

Not quite. Critics rate Ali: Fear Eats the Soul higher (100) than audiences (86). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

Was Ali: Fear Eats the Soul a box office hit?

Budget$130,000
Box office$186,757

Roughly broke even. It cost about $130,000 to make and earned $186,757 worldwide, 1.4 times its budget.

What language is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul in?

GermanArabic

It was made in German, with some Arabic. Produced in Germany.

In how many countries can I watch Ali: Fear Eats the Soul?

18ATBEBRCACHDEDKESFIFRGBGGIEKR+4

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Ali: Fear Eats the Soul in 18 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Ali: Fear Eats the Soul use?

All of the Other ReindeerTitle DropLocal HangoutCreator CameoReasonable Authority FigureThe StoicLeave the Camera RunningMaligned Mixed MarriageMay–December RomanceGreen-Eyed MonsterMr. FanserviceThird-Person Personand 4 more

TV Tropes lists 16 storytelling tropes for Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, including All of the Other Reindeer, Title Drop, Local Hangout.