Capernaum
A fiercely compassionate Lebanese drama follows a neglected boy who turns street survival and a courtroom accusation into a demand for adult accountability.
Overview
A heart-wrenching journey through the streets of Lebanon, where survival is a daily battle for a young boy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- harrowing
- compassionate
- urgent
- social issue film night
- film festival viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a harrowing yet compassionate and stirring social drama, while acknowledging its overt melodramatic approach.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Zain’s homelessness, lack of legal identity, and exposure to exploitation emerge from parental negligence and broader systemic failure.
Zain’s courtroom lawsuit against his parents transforms his traumatic childhood into an accusation against adult responsibility.
The film combines documentary-like street life and nonprofessional-feeling performances with an emotionally heightened legal and family narrative.
Rahil’s undocumented status and separation from her baby expose the insecurity faced by migrant workers in Beirut.
Films like Capernaum, and why
The Kid with a Bike
shared social realism, child-centered storytelling, poverty, and compassionate attention to marginalized lives
Slumdog Millionaire
shared neorealist atmosphere, child protagonist, street survival, and institutional neglect
Shoplifters
shared harrowing social drama, vulnerable children, and critique of poverty and exploitation
The Florida Project
shared naturalistic performances, family dysfunction, and emotionally urgent focus on disadvantaged youth
Movie Details
- Director
- Nadine Labaki
- Release Date
- 2018-09-20
- Runtime
- 126 min
- Rating
- 8.1 / 10 (2041)
Cast
- Zain Al Rafeea
- Yordanos Shifera
- Boluwatife Treasure Bankole
- Kawsar Al Haddad
- Fadi Kamel Yousef
- Cedra Izzam
- Alaa Chouchnieh
- Elias Khoury
- Nadine Labaki
- Nour el Husseini
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Capernaum about?
- A fiercely compassionate Lebanese drama follows a neglected boy who turns street survival and a courtroom accusation into a demand for adult accountability.
- What is Capernaum like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Capernaum as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Capernaum violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Capernaum as mild.
- What did critics think of Capernaum?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a harrowing yet compassionate and stirring social drama, while acknowledging its overt melodramatic approach.
- Which films are like Capernaum?
- Films with a similar feel include The Kid with a Bike, Slumdog Millionaire, Shoplifters, and The Florida Project.
- How long is Capernaum?
- Capernaum runs 126 minutes.
- Where can I watch Capernaum?
- In United States, Capernaum is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling.
