Movie Review: C-Section (2021)

Genre: Dramedy  

Director: David Oryan  

Starring: Pamela El Kik, Rola Beksmati  

Running Time: 140 minutes  

Synopsis: In Lebanon, wealthy and urbane couple Carl and Ray (Chadi Haddad and Pamela El Kik) arrive at a private hospital for a scheduled C-section. Soon after, ramshackle and penniless village couple Massad and Sonia (Ammar Shalak and Rola Beksmati) arrive in an unscheduled panic, with Sonia about to deliver twins. Due to space limitations the two couples have to share a room, leading to conflicts and headaches for hospital head Vahe (Gabriel Yammine), a lover of Charles Aznavour music.

What Works Well: This is an amiable culture clash comedy with an edge, co-writers Isaac Fahed and Doris Saba finding a surprising number of emotional highlights. Chuckles and tears easily co-exist, and the characters are coloured-in enough to enhance the texture: Ray is estranged from her parents for marrying into the wrong sect, while both Carl and Massad are navigating financial challenges. Within the mess of strangers forced to deal with each other, kindness driven by women emerges as a foundational theme.

What Does Not Work As Well: The production levels are iffy, with audio quality suffering the most. The acting veers towards theatricality, and a would-be flirtatious romance involving Sonia's brother and a nurse is abandoned altogether. 

Key Quote:

Vahe: You beat the security guard and made a huge mess. There's no need for that.
Massad: If I hadn't done that, you wouldn't have admitted her.



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