Mona Zaki and Ahmed El-Sakka reunite on the big screen in “Taymour we Shafika, a fun movie about the trials and tribulations of relationships in modern-day Egypt.
Taymour and Shafika are neighbors and have been friends their whole lives. At first it seems they are destined to fall in love, but as they grow up, their love takes on different a form as their lives and personalities change.
Taymour embodies the stereotypical young Egyptian male, Naguib Mahfouz’s proverbial si el sayyed (protagonist of his famed Trilogy) – the domineering male figure traditionally portrayed in old movies, who manipulates the relationship with no discussion or compromises.
On the other hand Shafika represents the modern Egyptian woman: highly-educated, open-minded, and career-oriented. The combination is fiery and the developments in their relationship are funny at times and frustrating at others.
Tamer Habib, one of today’s top young scriptwriters, crafts a well-written script that is exciting at every turn.
El-Sakka’s best moments were the ones that highlighted his unique sense of humor. Zaki was classy as usual, styling tailored outfits and funky accessories. However, her acting skills failed to shine as brightly as her wardrobe, which might be due to the lack of depth in Shafika’s character.
The movie is fun and the plot is realistic. It was easy for me to relate to the conflicts Shafika faces as an ambitious girl in modern Egypt. Many men may also find it easy to relate to Taymour. But I expect many couples to argue to the bitter end over who was right, Taymour or Shafika.
The action-filled parts were a bit overdramatic, but that is typical of Arabic movies. At least it offers something for everyone to enjoy – action, romance and comedy.
For movie-goers who fear unhappy endings, I have one comment: they will not be disappointed. This is one of the summer’s must-see movies, and once again, the combination of Egypt’s two leading actors proves to be a success.
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