Director: Elie Khalifé
Starring: Darine Hamze, Nada Abou Farhat, Nibal Arakji, Marwa Khalil
Running Time: 100 minutes
Synopsis: In Beirut, four single 30-something women friends grapple with relationship issues. Make-up artist Yasmina (Darine Hamze) is looking for true love, and is in a relationship with the Egyptian Hazem (Aiman Kaissouni) who's only available on weekends. Yasmina's mom (Julia Kassar) pesters her constantly about getting married. Art gallery curator Taline (Nada Abou Farhat) just wants to have casual sex, but her neighbour Marwan (Mario Bassil) is a persistent suitor. Dressmaker Layan (Nibal Arakji) is in a relationship with the married Wissam (Badih Abou Chakra), while Doctor Zina (Marwa Khalil) is deeply frustrated by the shallow men she dates.
What Works Well: Writer and star Nibal Arakji relocates the breezy friendship-and-fashion Sex And The City vibe to the Beirut social scene. This is a surprisingly sharp and often poignant commentary on the sometimes genuine, often caustic, but always humorous search for love and sex among a group of well-defined women. As the friends navigate ticking biological clocks and a minefield of men pursuing their own pleasure, director Elie Khalifé uses crisp editing and observant camera placements to supplement fine work by the ensemble cast.
What Does Not Work As Well: Some of the scene transitions are clunky, and in search of cheap laughs, some emotional beats (in particular Yasmina's mother) play into stereotypes.
Key Quote:
Yasmina (narrating to the camera): Let's check out my city Beirut. I'll show you how a single girl lives. A doormat has it so much better.
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