Ishtar (1987)
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Movie Info
Considered one of the great box-office turkeys of its decade, Ishtar was an attempt by writer/director Elaine May and stars Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty to do a modern-day road picture in the style of the much-loved Bob Hope and Bing Crosby comedy classics. Beatty is Lyle Rogers, a dimwitted songwriter who befriends and partners with Chuck Clarke (Hoffman), who is only slightly more intelligent but every bit as untalented. Together the duo dreams of becoming a big-time lounge act, but their … More
| Rating: | PG-13 (adult situations/language, nudity) |
| Genre: | Action & Adventure, Comedy |
| Directed By: | Elaine May |
| Written By: | Elaine May |
| In Theaters: | May 15, 1987 Wide |
| On DVD: | Aug 6, 2013 |
| Runtime: |
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LoginCritic Reviews for Ishtar
All Critics (38) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (9) | Rotten (23) | DVD (1)
Maybe [it's] actually okay; maybe parts of it [are] even great.
The performances are endearing enough, the pacing is actually quite crisp and there is no shortage of zany silliness in the story. It just never gels.
The 1980s saw the release of so many truly atrocious films (Xanadu, Stroker Ace, Bolero, Shanghai Surprise, etc.) that it's absurd "Ishtar" became shorthand for the worst of the worst and continues to be blasted by folks who haven't even seen it.
Besides droll supporting work from an excellent Charles Grodin, Ishtar also gets a lot of mileage out of its terrible and terribly funny songs.
If Ishtar has a personal stamp, it's not in what it has to say about Reagan-era militarism, but in what it has to say about collaboration, and how well-meaning people can goose each other to greatness-and folly.
Ishtar is a failure on practically every level from its misguided narrative to its lack of humor to the absence of anything remotely entertaining.
Audience Reviews for Ishtar
Funny... I would watch it again.
Super Reviewer
Not as bad as it's reputation; It's just NOT funny.
Super Reviewer
It's nowhere NEAR as bad as they say -- how could it be?
Super Reviewer
Ishtar Quotes
| Chuck Clarke: | Gaddafi, is that near here? |
| Lyle Rogers: | It takes a lot of courage to have nothing at your age. |
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