"Ishtar is an amazing movie phenomena. It is universally known as one of the worst movies ever, almost exclusively by people that haven't seen it. Was it a flop? Yes. It could never have hoped to make back the $40 million it cost to make. Was it bad? That isn't as easy to answer. The first 15-20 minutes, as well as the last ten are simply movie gold. In 1987, audiences weren't ready for two main characters that were that pathetic. It's possible that the movie was so successful at making them look bad, that it was hard to watch. Warren Beatty had never played such a loser before, but was absolutely brilliant. The songs are hilarious, written by Paul Williams, and I wish I had the soundtrack on CD. The problem is really in the middle. Sadly, while the characters are great, and the beginning is wonderful, there just wasn't enough for a feature-length film. The middle has some great moments, but not enough to carry it off in the big picture. Still, Everybody should see this movie at least once before passing judgment. There are enough moments to come away with to make it well worth while
