Directed By:Agnieszka Holland
Written By:Agnieszka Holland, Solomon Perel
Europa Europa
Metascore
Generally Favorable
75
User score
Generally Favorable
7.2
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
75
92% Positive
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
8% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
100
Brilliant, biting, bitterly funny epic about a Jewish teenager's stranger-than-fiction adventures during World War II. [28 June 1991, p.22]
88
There are a great many movies about the tragic experience of the Jews during the Second World War, but only a handful as passionate, as subtly intelligent, as universal as this one. In Europa Europa, Agnieszka Holland tackles a great theme and, in the process, has made a great movie.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.2
80% Positive
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
10% Mixed
1 Rating
1 Rating
10% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Mar 1, 2025
9
Fantastic movie that tells a captivating and epic story of a boy trapped between the worlds of two giant empires, neither of which cares for the future of the Jewish people.
Nov 22, 2021
7
A surprisingly lighthearted tale overall, given the subject material - more of a yarn than a polemic. It is not at all disrespectful to victims - but has a surreal detached feeling. The protagonist's young age and the dizzying succession of moral quandaries sets it up as a cosmic farce. The film overall is let down by some technical sloppiness including a lot of dialogue added in post-production. Perhaps too big of a movie for it's budget. There are however many strong scenes, especially some of the battle scenes, and in the Łódź ghetto. Based on the incredible real wartime experiences of Solomon Perel, who as of 2021 is still alive at the age of 96.
80
Europa Europa is a compelling story told with intelligence and wit. Holland's direction, and the acting by the ensemble cast, are superb.
75
In recreating the fantastic adventures of Solomon Perel, director Agnieszka Holland not only shows a lively appreciation for his anguish and his adolescent desires, but she also illuminates the mentality of mass ideological movements -- both fascist and Communist. That is a large order and Holland, a Polish-born, Paris-based director, carries it out with acute, ironic flair. [03 July 1991, p.E3]
70
Holland takes a more prosaic approach, but the ironies bite hard, and occasional farcical moments add an unsettling edge to Perel's fortunes. Holland plays on the paradox of role-playing with moderation, but the moral uncertainties of Perel's survival are no less dizzying for all that.
70
This man whose family was almost entirely wiped out must feel like he's the recipient of a great cosmic joke, with his survival as the punch line. Europa Europa does justice to the joke.
60
The problem is, Europa is episodic rather than cumulative. Europa is about the highlights in Solly's wartime life. But it's not about Solly.
Jul 31, 2026
6
My primary problem with "Europa..." is the underwhelming lead performance. He pranced around way too fidgety to be seen as heroic or as a member of the master "Aryan race." His obvious nervousness would have given away his underlying secret, especially during his time with the Hit ler Youth. Without the strong lead performance, a film like this loses its believability.
Production Company:
- Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR)
- Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA)
- The Senate of Berlin
- Sofima
- Ministère de la Culture
- Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC)
- Central Cinema Company Film (CCC)
- Les Films du Losange
- Telmar Film International Ltd.
- Zespol Filmowy "Perspektywa"
Release Date:May 9, 1991
Duration:1 h 52 m
Rating:R
Tagline:In the tradition of Voltaire's Candide and Jerzy Kosinski's The Painted Bird.
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
National Board of Review, USA
• 2 Wins & 2 Nominations
