Egyptian-American comedian Ahmed Ahmed, in his directorial debut, along with a group a multi-national, multi-racial, cross-cultural group of comedians pokes fun at everything from American's misconception about Arabs to the immigrant experience to President Obama to deliver the kind of boisterous merriment that only good comedy can.
The film starts in the good old US of A with Americans —sadly, badly and pathetically— explaining the difference between an Arab and a Muslim. To ease everyone's suffering Ahmed Ahmed et al clear up the misconception and misunderstanding, and explain the difference. After laughing at a few American, Ahmed along with a host of critically acclaimed international stand-up comedians travel to four countries in the Middle East —Dubai, Lebanon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Egypt— and ask Arabs and Muslims alike to laugh at themselves while showcasing their cultures. With so much turmoil, for so long, many in the Middle East are just now learning to laugh at themselves, but laugh they do.
With stand-up bridging the gap that divide, Ahmed and his team uses comedy to show how they are "Just Like Us". The sidesplitting humor of "Just Like Us" resonates with audiences in the Middle East on the screen and audiences watching the screen here. Never heard of comedy in the Middle East? Well now you have and it's hilarious. It's not wonder "Just Like Us" was the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival Special Selection.
Cast (cast overview): Ahmed Ahmed (Himself), Ted Alexandro (Himself), Sherif Azab (Himself), Whitney Cummings (Herself), Tommy Davidson (Himself), Omid Djalili (Himself), Erik Griffin (Himself), full cast and crew.
US Release Date: 10 June 2011. Directed by Ahmed Ahmed. Released by Cross Cultural Entertainment. Running time: 72 minutes; MPAA R for language; genre: Documentary, Comedy. Language: English.
Opening on June 17, 2011 at Landmark’s Lumiere Theatre in San Francisco. Check local listings for showtimes.
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