Even if, as a vehicle, “Amerikatsi” is at times less than perfect, Goorjian’s use of humor and a bold narrative structure brings us closer to the Armenian people than any staid historical storyline ever could.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Jan 29, 2024

[It] has a deft, audience-friendly lightness of touch, focusing on Armenia’s people rather than its difficult history. Nevertheless, it firmly makes its points about displacement, cultural cleansing and the difficulties of returning home.

| Jan 9, 2024

Goorjian’s is an open, inviting face; we believe every smile, and when he is overcome with emotion at the all-too-human trials and tribulations he witnesses on the other side of the wall, it’s hard not to be moved right along with him.

| Jan 9, 2024

A moving work about diasporic yearning, coming to us as history repeats itself

| Dec 29, 2023

Tone is crucial, and Amerikatsi has a waywardness that too often undermines its intent -- there’s a lot that works here and so much that doesn’t.

| Dec 18, 2023

Goorjian the filmmaker is to be congratulated for giving voice to survivors of genocide, and in particular the horrific crimes against the Armenian people, over 100 years ago, that certain cultures would prefer to forget, or worse, deny.

| Original Score: C+ | Dec 2, 2023

A work that denounces acts of injustice not entirely known, and finds ingenious ways to represent not only the sense of human resilience but also the solidarity established between people who appear to be from different sides. [Full review in Spanish]

| Oct 5, 2023

Amerkatsi doesn't transcend drama or comedy conventions, but uses the steep contrast between injustice and human values to bolster its narrative... The bittersweet ending will leave you reflecting on life after liberation.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 15, 2023

Despite the boundaries that we face—exile, imprisonment or even a lack of freedom of expression—the human connection makes life worth living.

| Sep 13, 2023

AMERIKATSI is truly a heartwarming film which demonstrates the power of hope and love.

| Sep 12, 2023

Goorjian's acting is a joy to watch as his character finds ways to overcome his depressing circumstances.

| Sep 12, 2023

Amerikatsi is a stirring labor of love that witnesses the darkness of the past, and seeks out the light.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Sep 8, 2023

This well-intentioned if uneven comedy uses real-life tragedy as the backdrop for heartwarming fantasy, but without the tonal dexterity to generate sufficient emotional impact.

| Sep 8, 2023

The setup eloquently symbolizes the predicament of many who, like Charlie, left their homelands very young.

| Sep 7, 2023

If “Rear Window meets Life Is Beautiful” sounds like an all-timer of a cursed elevator pitch, then there’s nothing Michael A. Goorjian’s well-intentioned crowd-pleaser Amerikatsi will be able to do to win you over.

| Original Score: C- | Sep 7, 2023

Written and directed by—and starring—Michael A. Goorjian, the new film 'Amerikatsi' is many things, among them a paean to the resilience of the human spirit.

| Sep 5, 2023

A captivating, funny and tender tragicomedy with shades of Elia Suleiman's brand of absurdist humor.

| Sep 4, 2023

Overall, there isn’t much to dislike in Amerikatsi. It may run a tad too long, despite having a good pace, but it’s well worth the ride. Michael A. Goorjian knocks it out of the park with this one and makes Amerikatsi a must see.

| Jul 5, 2023

'Amerikatsi' a note to everyone who has gone through trauma and injustice, all the while with a smile on their face. There is something about the human spirit that finds the beauty in the most disgusting, the humor in the unjust.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 14, 2023

Michael Goorjian channels his inner Roberto Begnini... [to] bring humor and levity to a solemn subject. But the best part is he shines a light on the Armenian people and their resurgence to re-establish their culture after great tragedy.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Jan 3, 2023