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Ishtar

Ishtar

Telling the truth can be dangerous business.

1987107 minPG-13Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Director
Elaine May
Starring
Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Adjani, Charles Grodin

Two terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the CIA, the Emir of Ishtar, and the rebels trying to overthrow his regime.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ishtar?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove does not list Ishtar on any major US streaming service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Ishtar?

Ishtar earns 6 badges, led by Overhyped and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Ishtar worth watching?

Ishtar's Midcredits score is the 22nd percentile of all films, from 35K ratings across 6 sources. 29% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

22nd percentile

Better received than 22% of films

35th percentile among Action24th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)26th
Approval (how many liked it)21st

54 /100

26th percentile of all films

40th percentile among Action25th percentile among 1980s

Critics 51 · Audience 54

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

29% liked it

21st percentile of all films

34th percentile among Action23rd percentile among 1980s
29% rated it 7–1071% rated it 1–6

Critics 40% · Audience 39%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 3 noms overall

83rd percentile

35K ratings across platforms

72nd percentile among Action80th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 1% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$55M
Opening weekend$4.3M
Domestic gross$14M
Worldwide gross$14M

Returned 0.3× its budget — 63rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A comedy built around two hapless, talentless songwriters who stumble into a confusing Middle Eastern spy plot.

Fans praised

  • intentionally terrible songs are hilarious
  • Beatty and Hoffman play cluelessness convincingly
  • dry, witty dialogue and clever one-liners

Detractors panned

  • shapeless, unfocused plot that loses its way in Morocco
  • neither Beatty nor Hoffman has comic chemistry as a team
  • racial stereotypes of Arabs and CIA agents feel offensive

What stands out

ActingDivisive68

Beatty and Hoffman play against type as inept boobs; Charles Grodin steals scenes with deadpan CIA agent

DialogueDivisive60

Snappy, quotable lines like 'telling the truth can be dangerous business'; detractors find it forced and unfunny

Sound and musicDivisive55

Intentionally awful songs are divisive; fans find hysterical, detractors call painful and unlistenable

OriginalityDivisive55

Homage to Hope/Crosby road movies gets mixed reception as derivative vs. intentional pastiche

HumorDivisive45

Polarizing: fans laugh heartily at songwriting bits and deadpan absurdity; detractors report zero laughs and cringe

CharactersDivisive40

Rogers and Clarke are pathetic but earnest wannabes; critics say they lack agency and likability

PacingDivisive25

Sluggish middle act; first 20 minutes praised, rest drags with repetitive gags

Plot and storyDivisive20

Convoluted, meandering CIA-intrigue after promising first act

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 1 point apart
  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Ishtar like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is gentle and funny, swings between moods and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
AbsurdThrillingWarm
Heaviest: middle
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Satirical · 5% of filmsAbsurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Playful
Told as
Nonlinear · 6% of films: Events shown out of chronological order.Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its spy plot and its protagonists' incompetence with a knowing, satirical wink, though the friendship between the leads is played with some warmth.
The rideThe film balances absurdist comedy with spy-thriller setpieces, with the heaviest stretch being the desert survival sequence.
StructureThe story opens in the present then jumps back five months via flashbacks before catching up to the present.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayViewers leave amused by the absurdity and warmed by the duo's friendship.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Comedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11% (this title): Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% (this title) · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Buddy comedy: A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).

11% of films fit this archetype

with Voyage and return underneath

Why this archetypeTwo inept songwriters are caught up in a geopolitical mess when they take a gig in Morocco, leading to a chase across the desert with CIA agents and rebels.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsAmbition · 7% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the enduring friendship between two hapless songwriters as they navigate misadventures while clinging to their showbiz dreams.
StanceThe film celebrates the bond between two hapless friends while satirizing the spy genre and show business.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanWildernessStylized realism
Orchestral classicalPopForeground music · hybrid · Dave Grusin
Setting1980s New York and the fictional Moroccan city of Ishtar during a political upheaval
MusicThe songs written by Paul Williams are central to the film's comedy.

Content guide

Is Ishtar okay for kids?

PG-13

Ishtar is rated PG-13. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (33/100), sexual content at mild (27/100), language at intense (60/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (30/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). Its violence and frightening material have too few votes to rank. Overall it is heavier than 41% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Germany12
  • IrelandPG
  • Austria12
  • Czechia18+
  • Netherlands6
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 27% of all filmsHeavier than 41% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 46%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 89%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 42%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Ishtar have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ishtar?

Cast

Warren Beatty
as Lyle Rogers
Dustin Hoffman
as Chuck Clarke
Isabelle Adjani
as Shirra Assel
Charles Grodin
as Jim Harrison
Jack Weston
as Marty Freed
Tess Harper
as Willa
Carol Kane
as Carol
Aharon Ipalé
as Emir Yousef
David Margulies
as Mr. Clarke
Rose Arrick
as Mrs. Clarke

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Ishtar?

Movies like Ishtar include Road to Morocco (1942), Real Genius (1985) and Spies Like Us (1985). Of the 12 closest matches, several are spy films, and most are odd-couple stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its story type: buddy comedy. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Ishtar?

243 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.