In a review published in The Hollywood Reporter by Kirk Honeycutt during Berlin Film Festival, he says that " The film version based on, The Yacoubian Building, the best-selling novel by Alaa Al Aswany offer a revealing window into the secular world of a modern Islamic country - its indulgence in alcohol, sexual promiscuity, political corruption and personal betrayals. From such "deformities," the movie argues, Islamic fundamentalism gains its most passionate adherents”.

He adds on writer-producer Waheed Hamed (who is also the director's father) that he “.. treats the novel with too much reverence. His script indulges in much minutia and repetitive action. But the acting is strong and his son's control of story, characters and imagery makes this an engrossing, highly watchable old-fashioned melodrama”.