68
Metascore
21 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The DissolveNoah BerlatskyThe DissolveNoah BerlatskyIn a spy story, Bethlehem insists, there are no good guys or bad guys, and no victor—just day-in, day-out deceit and betrayal, the weary work of hate.
- 83The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloThe A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloSuperficially similar to Hany Abu-Assad’s Oscar-nominated Omar, it’s a considerably more complex and nuanced examination of the conflicted loyalties and dangerous relationships that characterize daily life in the Middle East, featuring remarkably strong, charismatic performances by a host of mostly non-professional actors.
- 70VarietyLeslie FelperinVarietyLeslie FelperinThe film comprises an impressive directorial debut for Adler who demonstrates a confident grasp of pace, place and thesp handling.
- 70Village VoiceZachary WigonVillage VoiceZachary WigonRefusing to take sides or vilify his characters, Adler finds the humanity in all parties.
- 67The PlaylistOliver LytteltonThe PlaylistOliver LytteltonIt’s a strong and eye-catching debut, but one that doesn’t quite mark its ground as the next big thing in Israeli cinema.
- 65NPRBob MondelloNPRBob MondelloBethlehem qualifies as a promising debut for its first-time actors and director, but it's slack at first, and the thriller tricks it uses to ratchet up the tension later — musical underscoring, careening vehicles, threatening crowds — keep it from sneaking past your defenses.
- 63Slant MagazineSlant MagazineIn the end, the film's misstep isn't some failure at being sufficiently morally gray. In being the thriller that it is, it smudges the palette beyond recognition.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterStephen DaltonThe Hollywood ReporterStephen DaltonStrip away the Middle East backdrop and Bethlehem is a fairly routine thriller about good cops, corrupt bureaucrats and armed criminal gangs.
- 60The TelegraphRobbie CollinThe TelegraphRobbie CollinYou’re left wishing that Adler had focused more on the no-win moral tangle of the handler-informant relationship, and less of the mechanics of its execution.
- 60Time OutJoshua RothkopfTime OutJoshua RothkopfDensely plotted by director Yuval Adler and Ali Wakad (the former Israeli, the latter Palestinian), this informant crime drama finds admirable complexity in the folds of its shifting allegiances — even if you’ve seen this dynamic done better in movies like "The Departed."