Film & TV

Film Review: Rock The Casbah

It is summer in Morocco and the Hassan family congregate to mourn the loss of their patriarch, comically unleashing underlying family frictions.

 

rock-the-casbah2014This gorgeous Moroccan chick flick is a heart-warming drama comedy. Written and directed by Laila Marrakchi, it could almost be seen as a commentary on the status of women in the Middle East today.

It is summer in Morocco and we are introduced to the Hassan family. They have all congregated in Tangiers for three days to follow the Muslim tradition of grieving for their patriarch, the influential entrepreneur and businessman Moulay Hassan (played by 82 year old Egyptian legend Omar Sharif).

Moulay might be dead, but Sharif is still there, introducing the film and giving viewers a running commentary as we see his daughters break down the order he once maintained in his household.

Rock The Casbah is predominantly in spoken in French and is split into three segments. The first one concentrates on Moulay Hassan’s completely dysfunctional family arriving at their magnificent palatial villa where Moulay’s body lies on ice.

His wife Aisha (Hiam Abbass) tries to keep calm amongst their three daughters. The oldest, Miriam (Nadine Labaki), is a booming, bored wife and mother obsessed with plastic surgery. Kenza is the middle child and a loyal Muslim wife and mother who is very stubborn and conceited about her marriage. The youngest, Sofia, flies in with her Director husband and son from Hollywood where she is suffering from stereotypical casting in terrorists roles.

Miriam’s sassiness, combined with Kenza’s stubborn determination and Sofia’s essence for freedom, certainly contradicts the stereotypes of traditional Middle Eastern Woman.

Omar Sharif still portrays his characters with the legendary charisma that we saw 50-odd years ago with Lawrence of Arabia (1950) and Dr. Zhivago (1952), and he is a true joy to watch. Despite Sharif being the star performer who definitely elevates the film, Marrakchi wisely keeps his narratives brief so that the film remains focussed on the female leads.

The second segment of the film concentrates on the Muslim tradition of three ceremonial days of burial. The sharing of tears, religious rituals, traditional food, and the various trials, tribulations and tensions between the women remain. The frustrations, personal problems and cultural clashes between the characters become quite funny, but all of their issues are connected and worked through for a sweet conclusion.

The cinematography is absolutely stunning and the beauty of Morocco shines. The amazingly lush ocean panoramic views are spotted with distinct white buildings. This is a definite way to attract travellers to Morocco!

I really enjoyed this film. While the clash between Muslim tradition and Western influences is not ignored, it does not take over from the main themes in the film: secrets, lies and family feuds. Despite it not being a new concept in a plot, Laila Marrakchi has certainly given this storyline a fresh look.

Reviewed by Kirstey Whicker

Rating out of 10:  8

 

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