Caramel (2007) User Reviews

The sweet unveiling of 'Caramel'

[janos451 · 8/10 · 25 January 2008]

Nadine Labaki: perhaps not a familiar name, not yet. You are certain to hear more of her, well beyond this report about her first film, "Caramel." The young Lebanese beauty is not only the star of this heartwarming and unusual movie, but also its director and co-writer.

Unusual? It sure is, a contemporary film taking place in Beirut without any reference to the wars tearing the city apart for decades now. (There is a parallel here with another excellent film making its U.S. appearance, "The Band's Visit," of an Egyptian-Israeli encounter set deliberately outside the political context.) Unusual? Amazingly so when you realize, having witnessed an extraordinary ensemble performance, that all but two of the cast members have no acting experience.It's all great acting by non-actors, and you wouldn't know it without a press release.

"Sex in the City" with brains, realism, and without affectation, "Caramel" tells the story of five women in a Beirut beauty salon, their lives and dreams. The tone is simple, intimate, the characters are different from each other, but all likable and real. "Caramel" is a movie to enjoy; beyond its vitality and good humor, it offers the viewer the acquaintance of everyday, believable people you can care about.

The title refers to the pliant caramelized sugar used for hair removal, material that can be used for good (removing hair) or ill (inflicting pain on a lover's wife, who ends up in the wrong salon). It is something "sweet and salt, sugary and sour, of the delicious sugar that can burn and hurt you," Labaki has said.

The director - whose theme and work are reminiscent of Pedro Almodovar's early films - is Layale, the owner of the salon, a woman in her early 30s, who "should be married" by now, but instead, she carries on a passionate (for her) affair with a married policeman. Layale is Christian, her best friend working in the salon, Nisrine, is a Moslem woman of 28, about to get married, but she is facing a daunting obstacle. The role is played memorably by one of the film's many amateur actors, Yasmine Al Masri.

Also in the salon, Rima, a 24-year-old tomboy (played by Joanna Moukarzel, in real life "business manager with an electrical appliance company"!), who is quietly struggling with her growing interest in women. It is one of the many glories of "Caramel" how her friends literally look the other way when Rima - very much in love - cuts the hair of a beautiful stranger (Siham Fatmeh Safa, who should be a model and an actress, but is neither).

Among the many fascinating characters: Jamale, a customer who virtually lives in the salon, a woman in denial of and battling her age; Lili, a crazy aunt, who collects parking tickets from windshields; and the men in the cast - relegated to supporting roles, but not belittled or presented in a hostile manner. It's not so much a "women's picture" as a film for and about people.

With splendid cinematography by Yves Sehnaoui, and appealing music by Khaled Mouzanar, "Caramel" completed production work in 2006, one week before the most recent bombing of Beirut began.

Enchanting film... really captivates... those eyes...

[Jose Guilherme · 8/10 · 4 December 2007]

I just saw this film in the International Film Festival in Brasilia, Brazil. I thought one more non-lebanese comment might actually be helpful.

I gave it a 8 out of 10 because I'm very fussy about giving 9's and 10's to movies. It is a great movie... enchanting... beautiful...it feels homely and intimate quite fast. The acting is good... especially of the director/actress Nadine Labaki.

One cannot avoid being seduced by this woman's eyes and beauty. Labaki is a stunner. She is so great in her role, best actress in the movie. Her character comes across very believably... and those eyes ! I recommend seeing this movie... and I'd keep an eye on future projects from Director/Actress Nadine Labaki.

promising

[GeorgeKalash · 8/10 · 27 October 2007]

This is one of the few moments of my life where I could enjoy a movie without reading sub titles. This time it is not Russian, not Swedish, not Danish, not German and not Spanish. It is an art movie in my native Lebanese language.

The lovely acting of all the team, the superb cinematography of Yves Sehnaoui and the charming music of Khaled Mouzanar all joined to make a movie to remember.

This is a movie about woman's inner being; men are in the background and the women's disorders are all exposed in a very elegant way. Uncertainty of life, sexuality, marriage, mid life crisis and elderly all put together in a colorful plot of innocent people.

In Caramel, we also see Christian and Muslim women living together, working together, truly loving and supporing each other. Thanks to Nadine Labaki for this message during a period of secterian conflicts.

The Last scene of the 2 ladies holding hands is a painting. I can't wait to get it on DVD. This will sit at the heart of my art movie collection.

Life's all in a "salon de beauté"

[milk_blush-1 · 24 August 2007]

Without reading any summary or comment on the movie I just went to see it. I didn't know it was in Lebanese, I was attracted by the promising name of Caramel.

What I saw was a potpourri of emotions and languages, I don't speak Lebanese at all, but it was funny to recognize all the different influences in their language, due to the colonialism. The protagonist and director is a breath-taking and very convincing actress, I had no doubt all the ladies of the cast were good friends and would have hung out all their lives. The storyline is kept simple and clear so even if you don't follow the subtitles, you easily understand the movie. I don't like to compare it with any other movie I saw, but speaking of colors and emotions it reminded me of Almodovar's movies, dedicated to the women in his life. Even though I'd have preferred to see more of the name giving caramel, for about two hours I was transported into the oriental world of spices, taxi drivers, aunties, grandmas, uncles, nieces', sisters and brothers, living, laughing and mainly eating together. The movie combines a very traditional Lebanon with very modern questions, emancipated women and not to forget love. Leaving the cinema I felt loved and happy, I strongly recommend it!

Good Performances / Enjoyable Film

[jmatrixrenegade · 7/10 · 3 February 2008]

This was the official submission of Lebanon for Best Foreign Film in 2007. Though the ones selected appear a bit repetitive (seems to be a war theme; there is no good reason "Four Months, Three Weeks and Two Days" was not selected except for that), this is not really "best film of the year" quality. This might lead to some disappointment for those who thought it was, as a few comments seem to.

But, it is a good movie. It has been compared to "Beauty Shop," which I have not seen, so I don't know. The film, though foreign, is rather universal in many ways all the same -- the cell phone, for instance, is familiar presence. And, the women who work at the shop all seem pretty independent, not as traditional as some members of their family. There is also someone who brought to mind a young Melissa Etheridge (in more ways than one). The older single mom fighting aging and struggling to get acting jobs also seems familiar. One can imagine this film, e.g., taking place in Spain with little altered.

But, from my limited knowledge, Lebanon is fairly cosmopolitan vis-a-vis various other places in the Middle East. And, there are reminders, including the owner of the shop living with her parents, and the problems a young Muslim woman ready to get married has when her finance doesn't know she isn't a virgin. The mixture of Christian and Muslim also takes an added meaning given the setting. This adds foreign flavor to a film that still remains largely universal.

Anyway, as to the film itself. It is an ensemble piece, with the director/star having a slightly superior role, though the older seamstress that must deal with a mentally retarded aunt or whatever also has a lot of screen time. The owner of the shop is having an affair with a married man while a lovelorn traffic cop pines for her. This latter part is touching, and the actor here (as does an older gentleman who favors the seamstress) is charming in his small role. Such touches often make movies, and it helps this one.

Overall, I cared for these people, and thought the performances were good and true to life. Someone noted the film's stories ultimately are a bit thin. This is probably true, but they are good all the same, and in some ways quite touching. I was not wowed or anything, but simply thought it was a good film. Not "best" material, but no need for that to enjoy things.

A Cake with 10 Eggs

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 13 March 2008]

Greetings again from the darkness. Insightful film dominated by Writer-Director-Lead Actress Nadine Labaki. Billed as a Romantic Comedy, this is much more a commentary on people ... especially women and how everyone's thought and actions revolve around finding the right companion. During that search, there can be much loneliness and frustration, but the discovery makes it all worthwhile.

The doe-eyed Ms. Labaki gives a fine performance and supposedly most of the supporting roles were filled by "real" people, not actors. Probably why the movie has such an earthy, straight-from-the-heart feel to it. There is much creativity in the editing and scene cuts. Much of the humor of the film is derived from tying one scene to another seemingly unrelated one.

Not in the class of the Almodovar films, it still is very poignant and classy in it's commentary on women and relationships. Also, it is refreshing to see a film on Beirut that is character driven and not politically or war based.

Just Awesome

[Herag · 7/10 · 3 July 2008]

God Bless DVD, Netflix and Nadine Labaki,I would have never seen a Lebanese movie. I have no idea where Lebanon is and frankly I don't care. Labaki is to Lebanon, what Sofia Loren is to Italy. Sofia Loren once said "I owe it all to spaghetti" I wonder what Lebaki owes it to! After you watch a movie there are some lingering moments of a face that captures your imagination-Labaki is one such face. The intensity is sometimes unnerving. I also find out that she was the director of the movie-that can explain certain scenes. She is rare combination of beauty and brains or talent as it translates here. All the scenes are open ended-that leaves lot to the imagination as opposed to the American Cinema-an artistic endeavor reminiscent of Italian Cinema-the likes of Fellini, Vittoria De Seca etc. The cinematography is captivating. This movie has made me to get out my little pond and take off my blinders for good.

Caramel, you woke up my heart

[nounamish · 10/10 · 9 February 2008]

A wonderful beautiful surprisingly well directed movie. It took me back to the place where I grew up, to the people I knew, to the narrow streets I hated then, and that I miss so much now. I had forgotten "la douceur de vivre" in that part of the world, how loving and supportive Lebanese people can be, regardless of their religion, background or social status. The stories of these 4 women is told with such simplicity, but yet a lot of tenderness, understanding, and forgiveness. The camera was their friend, exploring their most intimate feelings, joys and pains, but very protective too. Protective of their privacy, of their feelings, and their sadness. These 96 minutes of movie, brushed up all the callouses that had built up around my heart, and made it vibrate again, and made it dance to the rhythm of this beautiful city Beirut. Thank you Nadine for this wonderful gift, and thank you Khaled Mouzannar for making my heart and soul dance. Nicole Mishalany, Los Angeles, CA

Not bad but I was expecting more...

[sebkom · 6/10 · 7 February 2009]

I watched this movie today and I can say I am a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, the movie wasn't bad in general, but I was expecting more. It's the hype, again...

Coming from Greece, I can say that I found the situation described in the movie pretty familiar and that's another excuse for my low vote (7/10).

It's like an hour since I saw the movie and if you I had to say three things about the movie I'd say "Habibi" (the Arabic word for "love", I think), "Lili" and "Oh my, Nadine's eyes are so stunning".

All in all, it's a good way to spent some time.

A Must See Movie!

[Ranwa-Haddad · 10/10 · 18 January 2008]

This movie is about friendship. With a beautiful narration style, the movie focuses on the most ordinary and mundane people and follows them in their every day life. Although every one of them is dealing with significant challenges, a deep sense of love, friendship and social consciousness allows them to transcend their daily toils. The movie shatters any prejudices about sectarianism, Muslim versus Christian, young versus old, pro-West versus pro-Arab, and shows a Lebanese society where different cultures can hold on to their differing norms and traditions yet co-exist beautifully. This is the Lebanon I have always known. The movie helps dispel stereotypes about Middle-Easterners and promotes tolerance and friendship. Do not miss out on this great movie.

Warm and Charming

[Imdbidia · 7/10 · 13 February 2011]

Caramel is a Lebanon-France Co-production with a charming story of female love, friendship and aging. The story focus on the love life of a group of young and middle-age women who work/visit a hair & beauty salon. The story breaks many stereotypes about religious confrontation in Lebanon and on how Middle Eastern Women think, feel or live.

The movie mix romance, humor and sadness with simplicity, warmth, and heart under the fresh direction of young actress-director Nadine Labaki, who also plays the leading character.

All the actors are terrific in their performances: Yasmine Elmasri as the modern and untraditional Muslim girl Nisrine, who is going to get married; Joanna Moukarzel as the boyish Lesbian Rima; Gisèle Aouad as the aging divorced actress Jamale who struggles with having to find a job in the modeling industry and move on with her life after her divorce; Nadine Labaki as Layale, a good-hearted girl who discovers her boyfriend is a married man; Adel Karam as the sweet policeman Youssef in love with Layale; Sihame Haddad as the patient and shy single tailor Rose, and Aziza Semaan as an impressive demented Lili.

The face of Lebanon and Beirut shown is real and diverse, not stereotypical, despite showing Christians and Muslims, and different social groups. The Beirut we see is not the one under reconstruction, the post-war destroyed one, but the Beirut of the people who live in the city, the ones who make it a lovable place. We see real people who live their lives in their own way and faith and that intermingle without problems, a world in which Christianity and Islam and present in equal parts in their culture, people who struggle with the same issues that we Westerners do.

The movie was shot in warm caramel tones, that goes well with title, which relates to the waxing system using home-made caramel that the beautician uses.

The music, a warm and sentimental mix of French and Arabic songs is truly fantastic.

A heart-warming enjoyable film that offers a real portrait of life in modern Beirut and Lebanese women told in an universal simple and touching language, with some soapy moments.

Amazing

[nnanoo · 10/10 · 20 October 2007]

AMAZING!!! so subtle .. so refined .... so touchy ... so genuine.... Some parts of the movie could be titled " Oriental Sex and City" , yet nothing compares to Caramel ..... Living in Beirut but very often in the Netherlands, I am sure that the movie would be a big hit in Amsterdam. I recommended it to so many friends abroad living in different countries and the feedback was unanimous : just amazing !! The beauty of all the characters combined with the oriental scents and the pot-pourri of the nicest feelings that drive the life of human beings could not be pictured in a nicest way!!! thanks again and again to all the protagonists and to the Director.

PS: Music is just fantastic !!!!

Ode to friendship

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 20 November 2008]

We watch as a batch of caramel is being made as the movie starts. This confection is not exactly to complete a dessert, as we get to know, the confection is used in a beauty salon in Beirut where it helps the beauticians eliminate unwanted body hair. The lives of women that operate the salon are examined, including a couple of their friends who bond together the way only women can. Despite their shortcomings, Layale, Nisrine, Rima, Jamale and Rose, will be friends no matter what fate has in store for them.

"Caramel" as it is known in English, is a charming film by Nadine Labaki, who is seen in the key role of Layale. Ms. Labaki knows these women and what their lives are like. She is generous and sympathetic to all the women in the movie. With all their complexities, the women are supportive of the others and there is never any jealousy, or ill feeling toward anyone in the group.

Although the film is targeted to Lebanese women, it feels universal in its message of solidarity and love. One can expect good things from Ms. Labaki in future ventures.

Been there, done that...

[wricketts · 5/10 · 18 January 2008]

I expected much more from what turns out to be a rather slight film. Nadine Labaki and the writers deserve major kudos for their positive portrayal of a lesbian in Beirut who is neither miserable nor suicidal, but otherwise its 1970s-style feminism, clichéd characters, and predictable tropes become wearing. The acting is essentially invisible, neither especially bad nor particularly good, which is overwhelmingly due in part to the fact that the women's roles are caricatures and "types" and there's very little room for the actors to move within those constraints. I know I risk heresy by saying so, but Adel Karam (the traffic cop) is actually more rewarding in his small role than almost any of the women. Overall, it's a Lebanese _Beauty Shop_ with less humor and about the same level of sophistication. "Ensemble" movies may have their charm, but they rarely have depth, and this is no exception to the rule.

interesting but shallow movie

[SallyNabil · 6 December 2007]

i watched this movie last night, it's a sweet movie presenting a very expressive picture comprising a lot of good elements: lighting, colors, music and of course acting. the movie takes place in a beauty salon where we meet 4 of our main 5 heroines, they work as hairdressers and spend most of the time together so we come to see their high and low moments. in a near by tailoring shop lives the fifth heroine, a lady in her fifties together with her funny, a little bit, crazy mom.

each of the 5 heroines has her own story which gives an example for a wider range of Lebanese women. we've a girl who's about to get married but lost her virginity and finally finds a solution in a surgery, another who desperately dreams of becoming an actress and relentlessly seeks casting tests, she also stands at the gates of old age but tries to fool herself and others by pretending to belong to a younger category. besides, there is another homosexual girl , whose appearance, attitude tells of her sexual orientation. yet we just see a covert indication of a mutual admiration between her and one of the salon's clients. may be if she found a true love in her life she wouldn't have gone that way, who knows.

then comes my favorite character in the movie which is the old dressmaker who finds a chance, may be her final chance, for love with one of her male clients. as usual, she hesitates to take the chance. this reaction emphasizes the Arab world's attitude towards old women, those past 50. the society harshly denies ladies of this category their right to love , to take the last train for happiness before life comes to an end , it imprisons them within the memories of the past and monotony of the present.

finally comes the character played by the actress/director/scriptwriter Nadine Labky. Layal is the leader of the salon team and falls in love with a married man. on the other hand, there's the policeman who works in the street where her salon is located and has a crush on her. yet, she is so involved in her relationship with that married guy, who seems not to care much about her, that she fails to notice the one who really cares.

I find Nadine to be the best actress of the whole group with her oriental features and deep eyes. as a director, she managed , together with the music and the lighting, to create an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy - that of a girlish world filled with laughs, tears , happiness and pain. besides the movie shows the wonderful unity and coexistence between people from various religious and social backgrounds.

however, i find Nadine the writer not as good as the actress or director. the movie could have been much much deeper and more effective. i believe the seeds of each character were well sown but they weren't given the suitable circumstances to grow maturely. the movie is sweet but shallow when it comes to character building.

Local colour, not much else

[paul2001sw-1 · 6/10 · 23 March 2010]

Nadine Labaki's 'Caramel' is a typical girly film, a portrait of the lives and loves of the (female) staff and customers of a beauty salon. What makes it interesting (to a western European) is its setting: Beirut, and the mixture of universal themes and Lebanese culture. It's (mostly) nicely acted, but fundamentally, its mixture of female friendship and the dream of true love is not so different from a thousand other romantic dramas, and I failed to find much impact in its final conclusion when the leading character picks herself up after being dumped by having a haircut. The local colour ultimately flatters to deceive; this is a story could have been told anywhere.

Local flavor

[Chris Knipp · 7/10 · 23 October 2007]

Caramel (Arabic title Sukr banaat) is a Lebanese film with its own vernacular charm. It's as messy and disorganized as the echt bourgeois interiors and the ordinary, chummy hairdressing establishment that is the hub of the action. This is a woman's picture, a syrupy but perhaps fortunately disorganized comedy of the street and beauty salon. It slips around among subplots with nothing really central, uses sloppy jump cuts, doesn't tell much of a story. . . but there's one sweet lesbian, one aging would-be TV actress. Jamal (Gisèle Aouad)) who keeps showing up for disastrous tryouts. There's a fiancée about to be married who's afraid the groom will discover she's not a virgin. (That's Nisrine: Yasmine Al Masri.) There's an old maid seamstress courted by a dignified, well turned out elderly chap. There's a handsome cop outside (Youssef, Adel Karam) who all the ladies have their eye on. Maybe a dye job can change your life; and the cop comes in for a "treatment" that involves trimming his eyebrows (that's what they use the caramel for, as a depilatory) and shaving off his mustache.

Layale (Labaki herself) has just broken up with someone. Stylist colleagues Rima (Joanna Moukarzel) and Nisrine commiserate. Rima gives very special facial massages to a beautiful lady (Siham Fatmeh Safa); its those that are arousing her lesbian tendencies--but her manner and dress already give it away. Rose (Sihame Haddad) is the seamstress, whose efforts to open up to the courtly Charles (Dimitri Staneofski) are constantly thwarted by her annoying nutty sister Lili (Aziza Semaan).

Labaki, whose feature debut this is, has a background of videos and TV commercials. Perhaps the holdover from that is the preponderance of beautiful women. There's nothing slick and commercial about her movie, though. Something about this suggests Francois Dupeyron's charming 2005 Monsieur Ibrahim, where also there is much focus on the quartier and people are drifting and longing for love (or losing their virginity). There's a good, natural feeling about Carmel. Funny thing: all this happens in Beirut but you would never guess that was a place torn by civil war every other decade and recently bombed by Israel. Life goes on; caramel's still sticky; and women bond, whether they're Christian or Muslim. But let's face it: as flavorful as it is, and valid as a slice of Lebanese culture, Caramel is weakly structured, characters are superficial and too broadly drawn, and Labaki may not be invited to Cannes again for a while. Still, this is a rare artifact, and the women are easy on the eye.

Seen in Paris October 2007.

Neat film that breaks down contemporary life lead by women within Lebanon, minus any warfare you might expect.

[johnnyboyz · 7/10 · 6 May 2009]

The ammunition is there: a 'sweet' film revolving around several young to middle aged women living their lives, warts 'n' all, in a film entitled 'Caramel'. The dismissive headlines labelling the film syrupy and sugar coated just write themselves. How pleasing then, that the film is anything but; and acts as a stark eye-opener that films of this ilk can come from certain parts of the world that are war torn and less than brimming with a rich and popular film industry. In fact, Lebanese film Caramel practically shelves the idea of a war-torn nation and instead delves deep inside the nation with the city of Beruit specifically cut open, laying bare the people within it. And not just any people; five or so women of varying ages with varying problems and facing varying situations. How refreshing that the film prefers to detail woman-hood in this secluded and prior to this film, shut off designated region.

The first thing that strikes me after some further research is just how inexperienced the cast is. Perhaps this was deliberate from female director Nadine Labaki, who herself stars in the film. Perhaps she is aiming for one of those ultra-realistic portrayals of life within by enlisting nobody actors essentially hired to play themselves as women of the nation, age and consequently generation that they are. The women in question are Layale (Labaki), who works in a beauty salon along with two other women, Nisrine (Al Masri) and Rima (Moukarzel). The situations each respective women face are that Layale is stuck in a dead-end relationship with a married man; Nisrine has already slept with a man but is set to be married within the Arab world, in which pre-marital sex is not accepted while Rima is finding herself more and more attracted to women.

What I find quite fitting given these characters and the consequent breaking down of imagery is the fact that early on, one character looks at themselves in a mirror within the beauty parlour, and makes a fuss over how 'pretty' she's supposed to look. It's this recognition of what people are 'supposed' to be or how the world demands they look when, in actual fact, free choice and individuality should rule over anything else. We are, after all, looking at characters who are either: attracted to the same gender as they are; have gone against ancient tradition by having sex before marriage with the other one daring to threaten already established relationships by being attracted to another married man.

So the study, and the identification of it, is put across very early on and in sly, rather comic fashion. From here, the film branches out into what is essentially a brooding drama with subtle hints of romance. This is no definitive genre piece with a specific arc, more a statement or a documentation of lives lived in a specific place by those whom should know what it's like to live them. The sense of authority is most definitely prominent. A policeman gives someone a parking ticket, but is challenged and struggles somewhat by the woman that does so; someone else is pulled over for not wearing a seat-belt and two people are arrested for sitting in a car talking to one another. Two things crop up here: firstly, the director's sense that this is a minute study of a specific subject and the sense that everything comes under the light for examination, even the smallest things as would-be contemporary women living in Lebanon are broken down. Secondly, the sense of a dominant force – a presence that will clamp down on you in this life if you so much as ever so slightly slip up.

But director Nadine Labaki is so assured of her subject matter and her overall project, she sprinkles in supporting characters in the shape of Jamale (Aouad), a regular customer at the salon who dreams of being an actress as well as Rose (Haddad), a tailor with a shop next to the salon, who is an old woman that has devoted her life to taking care of her mentally unbalanced older sister Lili (Semaan). These characters are developed to their own degree, Lili and Rose in particular acting as members of an 'older guard', or generation gone by now practically restricted to their indoor place of work, as they meet and greet a Frenchman that frequents their place of business on a regular basis.

Layal, throughout this film, practically looks like Penelope Cruz's character out of 2006 effort Volver; a film that Caramel shares themes and ideas with. She hits upon the idea of using actual caramel as a wax; as a means of stripping away what is required. It is, indeed, the title of the film and acts somewhat neatly as the analogy for the film. That is, that the caramel is used to strip away certain things and the 'Caramel' that is the film acts as a stripping away of layers allowing us to look at contemporary Lebanese women. Caramel is an observed film; a film that creeps up on you in its study and leaves a nicely nourished feeling afterwards.

Great surprise from Nadine Labaki!

[zwixo · 9/10 · 15 August 2007]

A very good impression was left in me after viewing Caramel, on the stories, the scenario, the acting, the comedy/drama smooth transitions, the cinematography... It was all very impressive, a well made movie, something the Lebanese cinematography has been missing for a long time.

Most of all innovative for the usual oriental mood. A excessive dose of reality coupled with genuine laughing moments, made Caramel rise above the usual, traditional Lebanese movie making. And last but not least, great acting. I know people don't like to compare here, but I can say that the acting was altogether, as a result, above anything else I've seen in Lebanon's movie history.

The one thing that lacked in Caramel was a great revelation of some sort. Maybe that's just what I wished to see. There was a couple of discreet ones, but I think the intention of the movie was to project a hidden reality to most people, and it succeeded in doing so.

Congratulations to Nadine Labaki and all the team behind Caramel, go see Caramel, a wonderful experience, I will be waiting anxiously for Nadine's next wonder!

A study of a wide variety of romantic problems.

[Tom Murray · 7/10 · 11 March 2008]

Caramel is a romantic comedy centered on the daily lives of five Lebanese women living in Beirut, each of whom has a totally different love problem. Layale is having an affair with a married man. Nisrine, who is soon be married, is not a virgin. Rima and a beautiful salon customer, Siham, have obvious lesbian feelings for each other. Jamal, a customer and a TV ad actress, is worried about getting old. Rose, a tailor/seamstress with a shop next to the salon, is an older lady who finally finds a man to love, after devoting her life to taking care of her of older sister (or mother), Lili, who has mental problems: probably suffering from Alzheimer's.

The men are incidental to the stories of the women. Youssef is a shy, young traffic policeman who is smitten with Layale. Charles, an older man, becomes Rose's suitor.

The stories of Layale and Rose are well developed and beautifully poignant. The story of Rima is also poignant because of the homosexual taboos, the probable reason for the lack of a fuller development of the story. Nasrine's story provides much of the comedy of the film. The story of Jamal, although well acted, is not very interesting and the love element is not developed beyond a desperate desire to look younger, suggesting that she has no lover; that story could have been deleted from the film, leaving the character in a minor role.

Each of the stories ends differently: with different combinations of desperation, resignation, hope and/or marriage.

I rated the film at 7/10 but, had the story of Jamal been played down, I would have given it 8/10.

Caramel shows that it can be done

[jeffreylincoln · 8/10 · 25 March 2008]

Caramel is one of the rare contemporary films that shows restraint in its use of common language and in-your-face eroticism. I can't remember the last time I watched a movie that dealt with adult topics in such creative ways.

In contrast to most other films of this kind, we the audience are treated as intelligent, thinking people. We are asked to examine women's issues of sex, relationships, and aging without being subjected to the graphic scenes and gratuitous language that are prevalent in today's film-making. There isn't even an instance of "potty" humor, although one particularly touching scene takes place in a bathroom. Nevertheless, humor abounds in the form of terrific writing and amazingly good acting by these Arabic actresses.

Naturally, movies of this type do not have mass appeal in US culture. But for cinema buffs who appreciate the creative nature of screen writing, Caramel should not be missed. Guys, you can earn points by taking your date to this one, and there is a bevy of beauties for us to enjoy. And moms, don't miss the chance to take your adolescent daughters to Caramel... It will spark conversations about love, relationships, adultery, lesbianism, menopause, and more... All without being offensive.

Sweet And Sour

[writers_reign · 6/10 · 23 May 2008]

I've just been reading the first page of comments, all positive, posted from various parts of the world, a world it appears, that has been denied access to Tonie Marshall's Venus Beaute' because not a single one of the posters I read mentioned it or indeed appeared to be familiar with it. Briefly then Venus Beaute' is the name of a beauty parlor located in Paris. The owner and proprietor is Bulle Ogier and it is staffed by Natalie Baye, Mathilde Seigner and Aurdrey Tautou - this was about a year before the relatively unknown Tautou appeared as the eponymous Amelie. As the senior employee Nathalie Baye has marginally the lion's share of screen time as a 40 something female with a knack of picking the wrong men - not unlike our writer-director here - but Seigner and Tautou are also featured prominently. Had I not seen and admired Venus Beaute' (so much so that I bought the DVD and have now watched it several times) I would probably have joined in the chorus of approval for Caramel. As it is however ...

Excellent!

[abouelnouboul · 9/10 · 10 August 2007]

I just saw the movie yesterday evening. I was really impressed. I was mainly impressed with the overall quality of the movie. I think it will appeal to Lebanese and foreigners, men and women.

If you're Lebanese, just stop reading and go see the movie! I'm sure you'll love it, and I'm sure you'll be sitting in the theater making analogies to people you know who are similar in character to one of the women in the movie. If you're a woman, I bet you will relate to at least one of them!

If you're not Lebanese, also just go see it whenever it's released in your country! I'm sure you'll also relate to the characters but in addition, you'll have the opportunity to see the world from a different perspective, a Lebanese woman's perspective.

The movie is full of emotions, it will make you smile, laugh, and cry. Nadine Labaki managed to balance these emotions very successfully throughout the movie.

Congratulations Nadine on a job well done!

A bloke's review....

[tim-764-291856 · 6/10 · 14 April 2012]

I get a distinct impression from reviews I've read that most, if not all were written by women and that 'Caramel' is generally seen as a movie for the 'girls'....

I love my World cinema and will watch almost anything, so when it came up on BBC2 recently, I recorded it on my provider's box without knowing much about it. And, yes, like the confectionery in the title, it is soft centred and a bit gooey and whilst I (obviously) didn't appreciate all the finer points of the treatments available at the salon, I could appreciate the warmth and camaraderie of the five women.

Beirut and Lebanon usually conjure up either actual or imagined images of war, conflict and heavy oppression of women. Here, director (& lead actress) Nadine Labaki serves us up a candy bar that's full of wholesome goodness, quite a lot of sweetness but more importantly, a message to the west that women there think and wish and love like every other woman, anywhere. It's just circumstances that differ and those can have huge effects on people's lives.

Whilst we generally see modern, beautiful and free-thinking women in the film, scenes that were still commonplace in the UK just 50-60 years ago, make us realise that there still are 'rules' in Arabic countries. I'm talking about sharing a double room in a hotel, which requires a marriage certificate and personal I.D. Also, at the beginning, a man and a woman just chatting in a car in the street at night is considered 'indecent' by the local police and they are asked to go indoors.

I won't go into all the ins and outs of the various relationships, as it's the overall impression I want to give and whether the film is any good. The latter is partly answered by all the 5 and 4 star reviews already up and I'd have to agree. Even for a middle aged bloke like me, I can see enough human strands and their gentle effects on the nicely different lifestyles and circumstances to keep almost anyone interested. Whether your gung-ho action flick freak will, or not, is not one I'm not going to speculate on!

insubstantial confection

[Buddy-51 · 5/10 · 11 March 2009]

Like the confectionery treat that is its namesake, "Caramel" is a sweet-tasting concoction that leaves you feeling less satiated than undernourished when it's over. Set in and around a beauty parlor in Beirut, Lebanon, the story chronicles the decidedly low-keyed romantic escapades of a group of women (some of them stylists and others customers at the shop), all of whom fall out into neatly differentiated categories like "the non-virginal fiancé," (apparently, that's still a concern in that part of the world), "the lonely spinster," "the other woman," "the lesbian," etc.

Within its comparatively restricted genre (let's just call it the "hair emporium movie," for lack of a better term), "Caramel" is less theatrical than "The Salon," but nowhere near as sharp and funny as "Barbershop" or "Steel Magnolias." The actresses are all competent and appealing, but the material is stretched so thin that the movie barely makes it across the finish line before calling it quits.