A Hologram for the King

"How far will you go? To find yourself."

2016 1h 38m EN

😐

5.8

MID

★5.8TMDB · 1,258

ComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Alan Clay, a struggling American businessman, travels to Saudi Arabia to sell a new technology to the King, only to be challenged by endless Middle Eastern bureaucracy, a perpetually absent monarch, and a suspicious growth on his back.

“How far will you go? To find yourself.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Lionsgate+ Amazon ChannelSubscription

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Tom Hanks
Alan Clay
Sarita Choudhury
Dr. Zahra Hakeem
Sidse Babett Knudsen
Hanne
Ben Whishaw
Dave
Tom Skerritt
Ron Clay
Tracey Fairaway
Kitty Clay
David Menkin
Brad
Omar Elba
Yousef

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tom Tykwer
Writers: Tom Tykwer
Languages: Arabic, English
Countries: Germany, United States of America, France, Mexico, Switzerland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 31% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 10 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Arabic, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 5 countries: Germany, United States of America, France, Mexico, Switzerland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tom Tykwer, shot by Frank Griebe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tom Tykwer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Alexander Berner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Tom Hanks and Sarita Choudhury and Sidse Babett Knudsen carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tom Tykwer directs. Frank Griebe behind the camera. Tom Tykwer scores. Alexander Berner cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Germany, United States of America, France, Mexico, Switzerland. Dialogue in Arabic, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 31% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released 10 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Arabic, English.
4International production across 5 countries: Germany, United States of America, France, Mexico, Switzerland.
5Directed by Tom Tykwer, shot by Frank Griebe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Tom Tykwer. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Alexander Berner shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Tom Hanks and Sarita Choudhury and Sidse Babett Knudsen carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "How far will you go? To find yourself.".
10IMDB entry: tt2980210 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Frank Griebe
Original score: Tom Tykwer
Editing: Alexander Berner
Production design: Uli Hanisch
Costume design: Pierre-Yves Gayraud
Makeup / hair: Heike Merker
VFX supervisor: Dominik Trimborn
Sound: Matthias Lempert
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $30,000,000
Box office: $9,169,507
Return: 31% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: A Hologram for the King (2016)

Also by

Tom Tykwer

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2016-09-09
★ 4/10
About a salesman who went to sell his product sold himself. I like this director, one of his film was in my all time favourite list. But I'm not sure what happened to him lately, he's not the same as what he was a decade ago. This is his worse to far I've seen. He's better than this, but he chose a wrong book. It was based on the book of the same name that tells the story of an American salesman whose last chance to get back on the track goes to saudiarabia to sell his product to the king. But the king's unexpected last minute reschedules avoids his meeting and so it continues like that for some time. In his those spare time, how he explores the desert country and its culture, including an unexpected feeling for a local lady doctor was told. Seems a fine material for the reading, the cinematically it did not have the same appeal. I haven't read the book, but it is short and lacks in detail it deals. The main character remains a mystery for not properly revealing his history, especially for the no flashback, which would have put him is a good position. That's why it looks just a mid story, that begins in a mid way of someone's life. Though Tom Hanks was good, like usual in another unique role. The film is about arebia, but it was shot in Morocco and Egypt. There's no big contribution from the supporting characters, except two. Sarita Choudury, especially Alexander Black transformed completely to a real areb and they both put a good show as well. The film was below average. Since it was a Hanks' film I anticipated something strong. It was something, but not the something I was looking for. Watchable film, but skipping it won't make any regret if you're okay with skipping an Hanks film. All the above his fans are very disappointed, so I hope his next film 'The Circle' would make us this one to forget. 4/10

Production companies