Criticism
I'm surprised this film has come under such negative criticism. Okay, it hasn't been outright panned, but quite a few of the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes imply that it has no aim but to make Western audiences feel guilty. I personally thought that Ayouch's direction here is solid and the characters were more than compelling, they were very alive. While it is devastating that these children are in this predicament, this film was in no way played just for the sympathy vote. In a similar manner to City of God, this film affords less time for pity and more for character development - we as viewers are meant to indulge in their stories rather than tut at how deplorable their lives are. Those who thought it was a poorly-made attempt at making Westerners feel worse about themselves were obviously watching a different film.
My top 20 films: http://www.shompy.com/theeye23/l30156_ukuk.html