The Middle East is such a hot topic, but so little of the conversation is generated by natives that it's almost impossible to have any sort of dialog. On the one hand, we get the western phobia of Islam which includes hateful stories on the people/governments of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. On the other hand, we get the defensive responses of the governments/peoples of those countries who hate to have their countries painted in such broad strokes. This is exactly why a movie like this is so important! For once, we're presented with a perspective that looks at the issues with introspection. It might not the perfect description of life in Saudi for a woman, but it's a start and it brings up important points.
I'll start with the fact that the cinematography and acting are excellent. Those who might expect a B-movie production from a Saudi filmmaker making her first movie will be more than pleasantly surprised. The script is well written, the actors play their roles fantastically and the movie is well edited.
As far as plot, the movie is seemingly about a girl whose goal is to acquire a bike and the obstacles she needs to overcome to do so. On the surface, this might seem like a really simplistic plot but the way the story is told makes in much different than the normal protagonist overcomes difficulty story. And in fact, as it soon becomes apparent, the story isn't even really about the bike at all, but a chance to give context to the lives of women.
And thought I might have already raved about the technical aspects and how the story is told, in reality the #1 reason you should see this movies is because of the questions it raises. In the movie, we are confronted with important issues about the role of women is Saudi society and the different nuances of life. There is just the right balance of things that are told to us directly and what we must infer. To westerners, it might be one the first times we get this perspective. To Saudis and proponents of Islamic law, it's a chance to begin a discussion about the role of women in Saudi society. Regardless of where you stand, this movie is an opportunity to start the education process and the discussion on the topics at hand.
I'll start with the fact that the cinematography and acting are excellent. Those who might expect a B-movie production from a Saudi filmmaker making her first movie will be more than pleasantly surprised. The script is well written, the actors play their roles fantastically and the movie is well edited.
As far as plot, the movie is seemingly about a girl whose goal is to acquire a bike and the obstacles she needs to overcome to do so. On the surface, this might seem like a really simplistic plot but the way the story is told makes in much different than the normal protagonist overcomes difficulty story. And in fact, as it soon becomes apparent, the story isn't even really about the bike at all, but a chance to give context to the lives of women.
And thought I might have already raved about the technical aspects and how the story is told, in reality the #1 reason you should see this movies is because of the questions it raises. In the movie, we are confronted with important issues about the role of women is Saudi society and the different nuances of life. There is just the right balance of things that are told to us directly and what we must infer. To westerners, it might be one the first times we get this perspective. To Saudis and proponents of Islamic law, it's a chance to begin a discussion about the role of women in Saudi society. Regardless of where you stand, this movie is an opportunity to start the education process and the discussion on the topics at hand.