This film starts out slowly. The first half an hour is a little political, wrapped up in a guise of casual racism against Arabs. There's only a hint of the romantic tension between the two leads.
As the story progresses and the bond between the two leads strengthens, it's a tale of how different religions and cultures hold people hostage, and have expectations that clash with peoples' sense of freedom. One culture has a strict belief that women should grow up and gain happiness by becoming wives and having children, bestowing honour on their families by doing so. The other, more religious culture has a firm view that you can only find happiness by falling in love, marrying and having children, therefore following God and extending the faithful flock.
Similar outcomes for different cultures but stemming from the same fervent belief in how life should be under God's and society's gaze.
However when two women meet and fall in love it results in chaos for both families, with fervent efforts against the women being able to live their own lives.
It is a film about religion and culture and how they mould peoples' lives, and two women who fall in love and face the struggle to be together against every belief they've ever held, and the ostracising of their families. Even a man who shows hatred and aggression can be forgiven, and showed kindness, but not a woman who crosses the line of expectation.
I particularly like the fact there's only a couple of kissing scenes and no steamy, desperate sex to display the depth of their love. It's not about the sex and it's all the stronger for that. It's all about the struggle to be oneself against society's expectations, and I love how the director made that work. He could teach modern, sex-obsessed Hollywood a thing or two.
The acting is a little bland at times and the script occasionally weak, but overall its not a bad film and does a great job in illuminating prejudice, even amongst loved ones, and having a dogged commitment to try and become what or who you want to be.
I gave it a strong 6.
