Abol Naga and Hind Sabry shine in another predictable comedy
A few days ago I was having a conversation with a friend of mine about last summer’s film “The Yacoubian Building. Unlike him, I thought the film was exceedingly overrated and possessed a faint cinematic vision.
His response to my criticism was the classic reaction countless Egyptians give in similar discourse: But when compared to other Egyptian films, it’s the best of what s shown in theaters these days. .
After contemplating his words, I realized that if this common argument were to reflect one thing alone, it would be the sorry state of our local films.
Films should be evaluated according to certain universal standards that can be applied anywhere around the globe. A good film is a good film, period, regardless of its nationality or its production merits.
I m quite confident that such notion of a film being “the best of the bad will be applied by future fans of the latest romantic comedy Laebet El-Hobb (The Game of Love) starring Khaled Abol Naga and Hind Sabry.
The film tells the story of Essam (Abol Naga), an uptight, serious and narrow-minded account executive at a fashion company who is seeking a new designer to boost the company s stagnant creativity. Enter Laila (Sabry), a free-spirited, liberal and outspoken new designer who wins the position after delivering a panicky presentation.
Before Laila leaves, she bumps into Essam, a former acquaintance. Their last encounter took place years ago when Essam accompanied her to Alexandria in what seemed like the trip from hell.
They are extreme opposites, and Essam doesn t deny that during that disastrous trip he rejects and bluntly shows disrespect for Laila s unconventional behavior and her irresponsible and forward attitude. On the other hand, Laila s convinced that Essam s values belong in the Stone Ages and that he, despite his seemingly firm opinions, is filled with countless contradictions and circuitous hypocrisy.
The hostility Laila and Essam hold for each other begins to melt after Essam s loveless marriage starts to disintegrate, while simultaneously Laila reaches a dead-end with her boyfriend Dr. Omar who refuses to marry her. Gradually, Essam and Laila grow to become close friends.
The film belongs to a new breed of what s became known as the multiplex flick, which was pioneered by the Michael Bay of Egyptian cinema Tarek El-Eryan (“El Sellem wel Te ban The Ladder and the Snake, and “Tito ) and refined later by scriptwriter Tamer Habib (“Sahar El Layali Sleepless Nights, “Hob El Banat Girl s Love) These films are built around a world that rarely feels Egyptian; their characters follow a different set of moral standards and beliefs. It s not that these types of characters don t exist; they do, but they represent a minor strata of society with conflicts that are regarded by many to be somehow insignificant and thus, hard to empathize with.
Another major problem is how reality is represented, not only in these particular films, but also in the majority of contemporary Egyptian films. Egyptian films are built on a dramatic structure that doesn t construct a clear distinction between social reality and that of the fictional universe, ending up creating an entirely alien and unbelievable world.
Laebet El-Hobb looks Egyptian and is set in recognizably Egyptian neighborhoods with authentic Egyptian supporting characters. Nevertheless, almost everything else in the film screams Hollywood – from the fashion world that the two protagonists inhabit to the lavish parties they attend down to the way the story is told. Part of the chief conflict faced by both protagonists is rooted in the nature of society, yet they seem to be encapsulated into a different, artificial world.
Another problem with the film is extreme predictability. Anyone can foresee the precise details of the story and the unavoidable outcome after the first five minutes of the film. Furthermore, supporting characters, as usual, are never convincing enough. Hanan (Basma), Essam s wife, isn t given enough motivation for her constant nagging and her slightly repellent mannerisms. It s also impossible to believe that Essam and Hanan s marriage was a result of an arranged union since everything about the characters background and actions indicate otherwise. Also, we re not given sufficient reasons for Dr. Omar s opposition to marriage, apart from the clichéd Still not ready for responsibility response.
However, and despite its flaws, the film is worth seeing for the excellent performances put out by Abol Naga and Sabry.
Abol Naga, in arguably his best performance to date, takes a rather ordinary character and plays it with impressive wit and humility. Abol Naga injects Essam with a boyish charm and endearing clumsiness that makes it easy for both the audience and Sabry s character to forgive his misgivings.
On the other hand, the strength of the always-reliable Sabry lies in her ability to slowly divulge a gentle and susceptible side that hides behind her firm front. And the audience, just like Abol Naga, finds it hard not to fall in love with Sabry s life-embracing Laila.
Both characters, despite their lack of originality, are so likable that they make the film work to the point that when the unavoidable end is presented, Abol Naga and Sabry make it easier for you to happily swallow it without complaining.
Laebet El-Hobb is one of the best Egyptian romantic comedies of the past few years. Its usage of clichés is minimal and the comedy is delightful. Does that make it a good film though? Not quite. The dialogue is stale, sometimes boring, and there s nothing interesting visually about this very conventional film.
The film appears to contain a vital or revolutionary theme when, in fact, the basic message of the film goes like this: Men should be open-minded, learn to accept their women and purge themselves from ancient, futile traditions, while women should always maintain their independence and face up to society without compromising their morals. Oh, and it s not entirely healthy to have one of those arranged living room marriages. In other words, girls and boys should love each other, be modern and stay away from pre-martial sex.
Finally, is the film worth seeing? Only for the performances of the two leading actors who ultimately lend the film good entertainment value and, sadly, make it probably the only currently tolerable Egyptian film screening in theaters these days.
