lafrondaindiecinemacritic Reviews

Chi-Raq (2015)

A Return to Form by the Master

[8/10 · 21 May 2016]

Chi-Raq (2015) *** 2hr.07min.

Spike lee is one of the most talented and provocative directors in the past 30 years who has continuously makes films that are not only important but also the most joyous of filmmakers with a distinct vision and has made film are challenging, visually and intellectually stimulating filmmaker. Spike Lee has been given a bad rap by the media that is too outspoken for his own good, for Lee has had a difficult time recently getting his films made. He was able to get" Chi-Raq" made but Lee had to deal with a lot of controversy surrounding the film. The mayor of Chicago Emmanuel has said the naming of the film "Chi-Raq" makes Chicago look bad and makes light of the tragedy of street violence in Chicago. I will go on record, to say that the film does not make light of the black on black violence. It is a satire, but Lee is such a good filmmaker that he can be topical, irrelevant without being offensive. The film stars Teyonah Paris as Lysistrata who at the beginning of the movie is making love to her boyfriend Chi-Raq Dupree (Nick Cannon) that is until they hear gun shots. Fearing for her life she moves in with Chiraq mother Helen (Angela Bassett) they talk about her son and how can they make the city of Chicago be a worth wile city again. Helen also hates her son's choice of profession and wonders if he will ever make better choices in his life. Later, a 7 year old girl is shot down and no one wants to come forward and to tell what happened to her. The girls' Mother (Jennifer Hudson) demands justice for her child and pleads to anyone if they can find it in their hearts to come forward and have sympathy for her and for her dead child. Lysistrata has a solution, she and along with a bunch of her girlfriends decide to abstain sex for their men and encourages many black women to do the same publicly. These black women truly feel that they can stop the violence of black on black crime. To stop the persistent shooting within their city. Soon the word get out and is spreads like wildfire not only in the city of Chicago but to other foreign countries such as India, Brazil, Japan and France—yes even France of all places. The men in their lives have a meeting to denounce their significant others to resist their lustful charms and believe that the women will come to their scenes and come back to them no questions asks.

Several powerful scenes come to mind. One being Father Mike Corridan (John Cusack) who chastises those people who will not come forward in finding justice for that 7 year old girl and her mother and how can we sit by and not stand up for what's happen to their great city. How the city has become a city of cowards. The community is only looking out for themselves. Another scene that is quite topical is when Lysistrata entices and older white guy, who is a lover of the south and the confederate flag to have sex with him and to tie him up and blind fold him. Only to discover that all of his friends are tried up and that they are the ones that are enslaved and not the women they enslaved hundreds of years ago. Bassett has an effective scene with an insurance agent who wants her to buy insurance for her son. Bassett is disgusted by the request. They are many good performances in the movie, especially Hudson and Bassett as the e women who are pained to see what has happened to their great city of Chicago. Samuel L. Jackson is the narrator of the story and he gives a charismatic and dramatic energy to his scenes. The main problem of the movie is that it spends a little too much time with topical humor and not enough with the character of Chiraq. We don't really get to know him on personal level. There's not real story given to him as why he chose a life of crime. However, I do recommend the movie because this film deals with issues that are important to society and asks the audience to find a solution to a problem that still goes on in not only Chicago but in America as an whole as well.

Race (I) (2016)

Owens sprints to defiance to greatness

[9/10 · 21 May 2016]

Race (2016) ***1/2 2hr. 14 min.

Jesse Owens was one of the earliest black athletes who became famous. Owens was able to transcend race at a time where racism, segregation, and Jim Crow laws were a way of life. For Owens, the only way to confront the harsh realities of racism it to use his very fast legs to fame and fortune. Owens born and raised in Chicago goes to Ohio State on a Scholarship. He has a girlfriend and a baby girl, they are not married, but he promises her that one day he will marry her, in the meantime the coach at OSU, a former Olympian as well, who never seen anyone who has run as fast as Owens. The coach, Larry Snyder (John Sudikias) asks him to give up his current lifestyle even his grades at OSU to focus only on Track and field. In the beginning Owens (Stephan James), accepts the commitment but he has a young daughter and girlfriend he needs to take care of. When Snyder realizes Owens responsibilities he basically, gives him a salary from training and running in track and field. As the Berlin Olympics approaches there are people in the United Stated who want to withdraw American athletes to boycott due to racism and antisemitism of Germany and its leader Adolph Hitler. Jeremy Irons is Avery Brundage who is the Manager of the 36 Olympics and William Hurt is Jerimiah Mahoney who is ahead of the Olympic committee. Mahoney wants to withdraw whereas Brundage wants the American to participate and goes to Berlin to talk to Hitler's right hand man and Hitler's documentary filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl (Carice Von Houten). Brundage requests that all athletes of every racial and religious persuasion would be allowed to play. Brundage gets assurance from Hitler's assistant that Hitler will begrudgingly agree to American demands. Meanwhile, as Jesse popularity leads to travel all over in the US and beyond. In America Owens, meets an assertive and beautiful black female, who has eyes own Owens. Newspapers spark romance rumors. When Owens, tries to explain the situation to his girlfriend back home. The girlfriend will not listen or talk to him over the phone. Owens goes back to the States to profess not only his love for her but to get married as soon as possible. They do and its one of the best scenes in the movie where Owens declares his undying love for Ruth (Shanice Banton). On the career front, the NAACP Leader has a meeting with Owens not to participate in the Olympics due to Hitler stance on Race Relations and Anti-Semitism. He agrees, much to the dismay of his white coach. The coach and best friend list their reasons for Owens to go to Berlin and there various reasons make Owens go to Berlin to stick it to Hitler. The track field scenes in Ohio, Kanas and Berlin are very well done. There's one scene, at the Olympics in the long jump competition, due to racism, Owens just walks and looks at the long jump area, only to disqualifying him as a "fault", there's another athlete from Germany competing who is congenial and requests the track judges and officials to treat Owens fairly, with a disgusted Hitler watching on. That scene is very powerful and telling that not all Germans think alike in Nazi Germany. Riefenstahl is paid by Hitler films to film his warped/twisted propaganda, nonetheless, Leni senses Owens great talent and fights to let Owens contributions at the Olympics in the documentary to stay in the film. One scene that stood out for me is when Brundage is when Owens to see Hitler face to face. Hitler refuses to see in person or shake his hand. That is very telling in Hitler hateful nature but it is not a surprise. The scene is more or less expected by Hitler, at the same time it doesn't diminish Owens accomplishments. Stephan James in his first lead role is very good as Owens who embodies the acting and athletic skill to be a convincing Jesse Owen. Jason Sudikias who plays the coach, who is usually seen in comedies such as the very funny Horrible Bosses, gives a good performance at the loyal and unbounded coach. Hitler is seen is 2 scenes that lasts less than 5 seconds and you never see his eyes, but the hideous mustache remains intact. You know what happens in the movie but so what! All the obstacles that Owens have to face in his professional and personal life and still won only 2 or 3 but 4 gold medals, was with the same woman for almost fifty years until Owens died in 1980. Despite the disease of racism that inflicted the world at large you see two men. Owens Coach and German teammate, were able to see pass the racial bigotry that they see on a daily basis and see Owens as a good and decent man who happens to be black who shows endorses amount of integrity of courage and to see racial harmony with these three people, where racism and anti-Semitism was at his peak is commendable. Overall, Race is a film that needs to be seen, in particularly with the younger generation of young black men. They need to be inspired by a man who had enormous courage and conviction. The police shootings by unarmed black teenagers making headlines within the last two years. This is a film that can convince young black teens if racism is bad now, despite having a black president Barak Obama, if Owens overcame odds that were much worse in 1936 than it is now in 2016, then anything is possible.

Middle of Nowhere (2012)

Middle of Nowhere goes on to impress

[9/10 · 21 May 2016]

Middle of Nowhere ***1/2 (2012) 1hr. 41 min.

Ava Duvernay is one of a new exciting filmmakers in independent cinema, whose stories about relationships about black Americans and issues surrounding their spouses, parents, siblings, etc. and how complicated and loyal black women can be when it comes to black men. Some black women go through enormous sacrifices of personal happiness within themselves and in this film, shows how loyalty can lead to question one's purpose on earth, in which, that very dedication is tested, when she meets a man one day and she questions that very attachment to her significant other.

The story is about a young black woman, a registered nurse named Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi) who lives with her sister a waitress named Rosie (Edwina Findley Dickerson) and her young son. Ruby is paying for an attorney to represent a case involving Ruby's husband Derek (Omari Hardwick) who has been in jail for 4 years on a weapons charge. She loves him and is focused on having the life they planned before he was incarcerated when he is released from jail. When the parole hearing occurs, with Ruby being the attentive dutiful wife-- hears a bombshell in the courtroom. Ruby questions her commitment to the marriage, which leads to a budding romance with a Bus driver Brian (David Oyelowo). Brian knows that she is married but senses tension within the marriage by Ruby's nonverbal behavior and seeing a ring that appears on her left finger to be a wedding ring. Ruby then has to decide to either continue with her marriage to Derek or begin another romance with a new suitor. Ruby also has to deal with the relationship with her mother and her disappointment of her daughter's lifestyles choices.

The film is beautifully written by Ava Duvernay the dialogue is very poetic and introspective of the inner dialogue she gives Ruby, who is a woman who loves her husband, but has to deal with one obstacle after another because of her husband irresponsible behavior. Ruby represents a lot of black women who are dedicated spouses who put with a lot of nonsense of their boyfriends or husbands, because of the racist society that we live in. Many black women feel the black man in America today, get such a raw deal, by the systematic racism that exists in America. Despite years of laws that should have made discrimination less and less problematic, which has unfortunately, had limited effectiveness to curb racism in large numbers.

All the performances are quite good and Troussaint has great moment when she's at the dinner table, at her daughters house, she is disappointed with one daughter's choice of profession and an ex- boyfriend who is an absentee father and Rosie, not wanting Mother Ruth to spend time with her grandson and the other daughter Ruby, who is too loyal to a man who is not worthy of her daughter. "Middle of Nowhere" is a fine second feature and gives Duvernay the opportunity to make more intellectual and thoughtful movies, about people in complicated relationships and situations. I predict Duvernay will make more thought provoking films in the future years to come.

Dope (2015)

Dope is less than it should be

[7/10 · 21 May 2016]

Dope (2015) **1/2 1hr. 41 min. Dope Simple Definition of dope • : An illegal drug (such as marijuana or heroin) • : a stupid or annoying person • the dope : information about someone or something that is not commonly or immediately known That is what you see at the beginning of this movie. The definition of dope. Does it relate to the first or second meaning? Well it relates to illegal drugs and a unlikely student who finds himself in a situation beyond his control and how he deals with it makes you suspect what would you do in the same situation. The movie stars Shameik Moore as Malcom and Tony Revelovi and Keirsey Clemons as his best friends Jib and Diggy. One who is 14 percent black and Diggy and Lesbian who family tries to pray away the gayness out of her to no avail. There all geeks and nerds who are the Brainiac's in the film. They live in southern California and have dreams of going to college, particular Malcom who has eyes for Harvard. He lives with his mother (Kimberly Elise) whose is a bus driver whose father is not in the picture. Malcom talks to his school counselor about going to Harvard and the counselor says that he's too naive to believe he can get into Harvard. Malcom lives in Compton and the counselor suggests that to think of a young black man, going to a predominant Ivy league school is not realistic, nonetheless, the counselor schedules Malcom for an interview. A man who came from the same neighborhood can help him get into Harvard. Things turn Topsy-turvy when Malcom and his friends go to a party being invited by a local drug dealer Dom (A$AP) who also asks him to talk to his ex-girlfriend Nakia (Zoe Kravitz). While at the party all hell breaks loose when Dom's drug deal goes bad and puts his drugs and a gun into Malcom backpack. Malcom escorts Nakia to her car and offers him a ride home. Next day at school, his back pack sounds off through the metal detectors, but the security guards assumes its faulty machine. Malcom later checks his backpack and low and behold, sees packages of drugs and a gun. Jib insists to take it to the police and Malcom warns him that they run the risk of being arrested. Later at school, the drug dealer wants Malcom bags and Dom is arrested calls him from jail to tell him to leave the destination the dealer was supposed to meet Malcom. Malcom is told that he either will be killed or arrested. Malcom and friends leave and are able to escape and they stumble upon on one crisis after another. Malcom decides to take matters into his own hands, when the Harvard alum AJ asks Malcom to deal the drug that turns out to be the sex drug Molly for his profit. If Malcom chooses not, he can kiss his chances of going to Harvard goodbye. Malcom then must choose to do the ethical thing and tell the police what he knows or sell the drug but run the risk of being arrested by the police. One scene comes to mind is when Malcom and his friends are at the Mansion and meets AJ daughter and tries to seduce Malcom and take his virginity. When she takes Molly she is so high on the drug, she throws up on Malcom and then offers to take him to his interview high on the drug. She later gets out of the car and ends up urinating in the street as Malcom drives himself to the interview. There a funny scene is where Diggy slaps a white stoner who agrees to help him sell off the drugs because he desperately wants to say the N word and when Malcom almost gets arrested when the school checks lockers for drugs while Malcom is taking his SAT's. The movie brings a very ambiguous moral center for its main characters. The movie message is that someone as nerdy and smart as Malcom can get away with being a drug dealer, no one would believe, he could be involved in something so unethical. However, I find it hard to believe that the same security guard would buzz Malcom over and over again without checking his bag. Maybe 1, 2 times but more than three times, it not very realistic. I don't care how nerdy and smart Malcom is. I would also like to see more of Malcom's relationship with Nikia there is great chemistry between them but that relationship is sidetracked by the Molly story line. A story line that is not very convincing and the moral message that left me uneasy. With blacks involved in crimes and black men getting shot by police. Films like this need to be taken with a grain of salt, because strong ethics is the only way, we can make black America a better place. Not put ourselves as a people in situations that are detrimental to our community.

Brooklyn (2015)

Brooklyn succeeds in a story of love vs.responsibility

[10/10 · 20 May 2016]

Brooklyn (2015) 1 hr. 51 min.

Ellis Island has been the place where millions of people from the early to mid-1900's have welcomed many immigrants from all over the world in particular Italy and Ireland and the main character of this story is an immigrant from Ireland, who moves to America for a better life for herself with little prospects for the future because of lacking in real economic substance in her home country. Her name is Ellis (Soraise Ronan) who works at a local shop only once and week and lives with her sister and Mother. Her future prospects look dim until a Priest Father Flood (Jim Broadbent), who is visiting from America, offers her money to stay at boarding house and she gets a job at a very ritzy department store in Brooklyn (hence the title). She goes to Brooklyn and stays with a woman who runs the boarding house (Julie Walters) and a couple of giddy tenants who are older but are not as sensible and as responsible as Ellis is. The Walters character, offers Ellis to stay in a roomy basement. Ellis has a wonderful job and has a roof over her head but she is homesick and is quite depressed of her predicament, until one day at a dance she meets a charming and sincere Italian named Tony (Emroy Cohen) whom approaches her and they begin a sweet romance that is built of respect, attraction and hopefulness of the future. They are both attracted to each other and one of the best things about the movie, is how Ellis initiates the relationship when she first tells him that she loves him is very straightforward, but sweet and sincere way. One scene that also stands out, is when Ellis's fellow tenants at the boarding house, teach her how to twirl spaghetti, when Tony invites Ellis to meet his family, which leads to a funny scene where Tony's 8 year old brother reams off negative Irish stereotypes that they cannot be trusted, taking Ellis aback and how Ronan handles these moments is the greatness of movie acting. Problems arise with Ellis when her sister Mary dies unexpectedly and returns to Ireland where her Mother and Meddlesome towns' folk try to persuade Ellis to stay by introducing a friend of the family to start a courtship with Ellis. She now has to decide to either stay in Ireland or return to Brooklyn and start a new life with Tony.

What is refreshing about the movie is the main character Ellis, is not a dysfunctional person. She is not an alcoholic, promiscuous, mentally unstable is a well-rounded and responsible young woman who is nonetheless, a very interesting character because she is starting a new life with optimistic dreams and possibilities of the future. She is a hard worker who is determine to find love and have a better life for herself. But when she is tested to go back to Ireland to be with her mother, who is lonely after Ellis's sister death. Ellis faces a serious dilemma of what is more important. To stay with a mother who has no one to confide in or with Tony who she could build a family and pursue their quest for the American dream. The resolution is not as simple as it appears, because family heritage, tradition and loyalty come into play. To decide between these two elements, is dealt with in a thoughtful and truthful way. Moreover, how dealing with family dynamics can be stressful to a daughter or son that can be riddled by guilt. Lastly, the movie asks the audience, what the best decision Ellis must make. What is more important thing in life? Family and tradition or loyalty to a man that brings her much needed love, stability and comfort.

Soraise Ronan is wonderful in the lead role. She witty, intelligent, loyal young woman and you're rooting for to make it in America and to find true happiness and Ronan and Cohen have great chemistry as the young lovers. Julie Walters is very funny as the Manager of the boarding house where Ellis stays in.

Spotlight (I) (2015)

Spotlight Shines with Conviction

[10/10 · 20 May 2016]

Spotlight 2015 2hr. 8 min.

Childhood molestation and the Catholic Church has been a hot button issue since the early 2000's. With scandals of Priests molesting young children and the Cardinal's all around the world sweeping these issues under the rug by reassigning priests to other churches to wreak more havoc among other young children at other churches. Pope Francis visited America, this past fall and several survivors of molestation's have been very critical of the Catholic Church and wanted justice for the victims of this tragic failure of the church to take responsibility for various priests' actions by arresting and convicting these so called priests. In the city of Boston Massachusetts, a newspaper and 4 investigators that are called "Spotlight" decided to focus on the church scandal following the hiring of the Jewish editor Marty Baron (Liv Schreiber) of the newspaper called The Boston Globe. The head of the Spotlight team is a man called Walter Robinson (well played by Michael Keaton) who leads the charge of getting to the bottom of these allegations and another spotlight investigator, Mike Renzende ( Mark Ruffalo) attempts to talk to the leading attorney, who represented some thirty victims of the scandals. Mitchell Garabedian (Stanley Tucci) who wants justice even though the settlement sum for the victims is very low. Garabedian, professes to Renzende that he tells his clients that what they are doing coming forward, was the right thing to do. There is the defense attorney, who represents the church, who tells Robinson that the Boston Globe had this case 5 years earlier, but choose not to follow up. The other two reporters Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams) and Matt Carrol (Brian d'Arcy James) attempt to track down various Priests and victims and to hear their stories. One person who talks to Pfeiffer is a gay man, who kept his secret for years, because the Priest said performing sexual acts on him was a good thing. The priest also says to the victim that he should approves of same sex love, and the victim struggles with shame and guilt over his own internal feelings of trusting a man of faith. Another startling scene, is when Pfeiffer talks to a Priest, who freely admits to molesting young boys and defends his actions because he confesses that he was molested as a child. The conversation ends when the former priest sister come in and abruptly ending the interview. There is a scene when Renzende wants to publish the story of at least 30 victims of the abuse with Robinson contending that the case is so much bigger than they spotlight gang can handle. Rendenze wants to investigate more victims and the Catholic Church. The two people get into a shouting match and both characters make legitimate points and the resolution of their conflict is convincing and leads to a conclusion that is just and accurate in its depiction of investigative journalism. The performances are first rate especially by Ruffalo, who is a lapsed Catholic, who was considering rejoining the Catholic church until the he begins to investigate the story. John Slattery, is also good who is the commander in chief of the Boston Globe and Keaton is supreme as the man who doesn't realize until the end that the story could have been investigated sooner than he realizes. The film reminds me of the great 1976 film "All the President Men" about two writers from the Washington Post Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward (played by actors Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford) covering Watergate and investigating Nixon crimes while he was in office. A character named Deep throat exposes Nixon corruption and irresponsibility that leads to his downfall. The two films have one great thing in common, they are about justice and seeking truth among the people who hold a high regard for. These two films are about truth, justice and how we need to call out the deceit and betrayal that our leaders where albeit a clergyman, to the President of the United States. We as citizens of the world need to call out hypocrisy in society and to hold those responsible accountable for their illicit actions.

Miles Ahead (2015)

Miles deserves better, just O.K.

[6/10 · 19 May 2016]

Miles Ahead (2016) 1hr. 40 min.

Miles Davis is one of the best jazz musicians of all time. Davis was one of those musicians that really conveyed great talented passion and emotion in his trumpet playing. Miles made a great album in particular his 1959 masterpiece" Kind of Blue". Which Rolling Stone magazine voted it as one of the best albums of all time, regardless of genre of music. His life should've been made ages ago, unfortunately it took 2016 for a Davis film to be made, with Don Cheadle playing the great musician and also making his directorial debut.

The film takes place in 1980, where Davis hasn't made an album in five years and has recorded on but does not want the album released without his permission. He would prefer to snort his new drug of choice, cocaine than work on any releasable music. He is also hates to do interviews but a persistent one from Rolling Stone writer Dave (Ewan McGregor) who wants desperately to interview the legend and follows him to his record company at Columbia records and talks to a the President of Columbia, Harper (Michael Stahlberg) whose ethics are not honorable and demands Dave to coax Davis to send his most recent work to work with a talented musician (Keith Stansfield), who is also a junkie heroin addict. The one drug that Davis was once addicted to. Miles has no desire to give his boss anything and threatens his boss with a gun to leave him the hell alone.

Dave decides to take matters into his own hands with questionable ethics, to get his dream of an interview with a legend and says he know someone who can give him good coke. On the basis of drug use they become good friends. The first part of the movie is about a cat and mouse game of Davis music recording becomes of tug of war of who has the upper hand in who will eventually get Davis most recent recording. Another main subplot is more interesting is the relationship between Davis and his greatest love and muse Frances Taylor (Emayatzy Corlneaidi) which takes place in the 1950's. The film deals with their courtship, marriage and Davis wanting Frances to give up her career as a dancer when they marry. To all of the predictable, nonetheless interesting because it is well acted are the relationships of Davis girlfriends and his infidelity and his addiction to a drug that makes him paranoid. The film contends that the relationship with Frances gave him the greatest creative musical prowess and his music was at its great peak when Davis dated and married Frances.

The film other subplot is also not very original but the car chase sequences back and forth between Davis and Dave vs. Harper and is crooked associate's is not very interesting and lacking in energy. Miles Davis deserved a better treatment in a subplot that is right out of the many car chases we have seen in the movies since the standard of car chases in the great 1971 action cop movie The French Connection. A car chase still can be entertaining if those scenes can offer something thrilling, this film action scenes are rather dull and pointless. The other love story is predictable but well-acted with Corlnealdi a standout as Davis's greatest love. Don Cheadle is very good as the great trumpeter, I just wish it was in a movie that dealt with a more interesting story of Davis life, maybe coming to terms with his coke addiction and his marriage to the great actress Cicely Tyson. Cheadle does a very good job of directing his first feature, but as it stands, more should have been made of his personal struggles with addiction and more of the great jazz that people love with great intensity.

A Hologram for the King (2016)

Hanks scores again with" King" film

[8/10 · 19 May 2016]

Hologram for a King *** (2016) 1hr. 37 min.

Tom Hanks is one of the most versatile and gifted of the past 30 or so years. He has consistently made thought provoking movies of great intellect, some humorous some uplifting most of the time of great quality. I recently saw him at the College that I currently attend at Wright State University. He was very funny, talkative and a very engaging man who captivated the students of his Hanks ambiance and humor. I easily saw a man who loves his job and has great energy about him that is enlightening and entertaining.

His current film "Hologram of a King" is a simple but interesting film about Hanks playing businessman down on his luck. So much so that his ex-wife gives him a hard time for not paying for their daughter senior year at college. The daughter is understanding, they have a good relationship, but Alan (Hanks) feels like a failure and has an interesting job opportunity is Saudi Arabia to present the King of that country a Hologram for his new resort that is still only in the planning stages. Things get off to a rocky start when the King constantly postpones their meetings and Alan keeps forgetting to get up early enough to go to his meetings with the King's associates and accepts a cab that is depleted but meets the driver of the cab Yousef (Alexander Black) they strike up a friendship as Alan tries to adjust to the very conservative values of Middle Eastern life. Alan is also dealing with a huge bump on his back and is very annoyed by it and seeks help from a female doctor Zahara (Sarita Choudhry) there is chemistry between them abut they have very guarded by curious language as they converse with not being too telling of their feelings for each other.

Scenes that made the greatest impression on me is when Alan makes a joke to a Arabic man while walking on a long stretch a highway that is surrounded by sand and dust., and that joke gets him in great trouble. Another scene where Alan has the opportunity to kill a wolf in clear view and questions whether to shoot or not is something that he struggles with. And scenes where Alan takes matters into his own hands but trying to cut way that mysterious large bump on his back; leads to disastrous results. There also a scene late in the film where Alan and Zahra and goes on a memorable swim in the ocean that leaves and indelible mark with the couple.

The film is a good movie about love of and mature couple that is sincere and romantic and the scenes of the culture clash between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia are effective and telling of how what you can and can't (mostly can't do) is a Muslim environment filled rules and regulations of how to behave in the Muslim World. It 'not a great movie but it is interesting and proves that Hanks is one of the most likable stars that we root for in the movies. To find whatever he wants and needs in his life in this film and on the basis of this film we appreciate Hanks' genuine sincerity.