Mahmoud the Egyption

Mahmoud ElMasri is a character said to be loosely based on the life of billionaire Mhammmad ElFayed. But the producers seem to have avoided making it an outright biography. The work itself is quite good from a drama point of view. Fans of Arabian drama will find a lot to like here. However, the usual elements of mediocrity that plague so many Arab TV productions are present and accounted for. Things like bad acting by the supporting cast, low-quality editing and camera movement, the reliance by the producers on the actors themselves to provide wardrobe are all there. The story takes place over a few decades and one can see in a scene that depicts events in the seventies that some actors have made an effort to appear suitable to the period while others just put on whatever clothes they thought made them look good. If one can ignore the speaking extras and the technical element, which remains the Achilles heel of Arabian drama, then one will find in Mahmoud ElMasri an engaging story.