MovieChat Forums > La graine et le mulet (2007) Discussion > Phenomenal movie

Phenomenal movie

posted 16 years ago by farrellhehn
15 replies | jump to latest

I just saw this film last night at the Sacramento French Film Festival, and just loved it. Part of what helped me appreciate it was my understanding of Arabic culture and an understanding of French, but even without those two things, I think it was an amazing movie.

It told a tale of a young girl who loved her adopted father. It was a tale of real love, love behind selfishness, true community, and the community that is family. And, we see the devestating effect of Sharik's decision to be selfish at an important time. The effect is has on his wife, his child, his sisters and ultimately his father.

Some of the scenes were long, but they were REAL. It was a real movie made up of real life. I get a little frusterated when Americans don't get movies like this - we want a tidy, packaged plotline and for it to all tie up in a neat little bow at the end. This movie shows what we go through as human beings. It was a great story and it was very moving. It didn't have a "happy" ending but in a sense, it did - the girl bellydancing and her mother making couscous probably mended fences beyond Slimane's lifetime.

[–] jlovatt 16 years ago

You are so right! I couldn't get this film out of my head for days after watching it. It was extremely moving , realistic and it totally blew me away. Film-making should always be like this!

[–] ar656 13 years ago

With this movie I got the same feeling I get when watching movies directed by Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman, Satyajit Ray, John Ford, or Woody Allen. These directors are immersed in their cultures, in their peoples, who they love immensely, yet that immense love does not prevent them from seeing what is wrong in them. This movie is proof that when you have a story to tell, and the right cast, you do not need tens of millions of dollars.

[–] abelmn2000 15 years ago

-The movie has a ton of layers and metaphors, but it essentialy caters to some of the facts that french society sees as exotic in the arabo-islamic culture: couscous, belly dance and sex.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PVarjak 14 years ago

I noticed that too. In fact, while the 'real' French are snide during the dinner scene (the other restaurateurs don't want a competitor, the vice-mayor doesn't want to permanently dock the boat on the Republique, etc.); the director turns around and has the family give them an almost Disney-esque version of Moroccan/Arab life. The film does show equally venial behavior on the part of other Arabs (the musicians bad-mouthing Slimane; but quickly turning around hoping to perform at his restaurant), Slimane's own family, etc.

I also thought the scenes of Slimane chasing the kids on the scooter were ridiculous. This is a guy who stared down the shipyard foreman. Hasn't he heard of a phone and taxi? Why trade a scooter worth a couple hundred dollars for your multi-thousand Euro investment?

I do think the film was a bit long; but brilliant in spots, and definitely worth a viewing. I do find it a bit hard to believe that this was the best French film of the year though.

[–] hupalmer 15 years ago

i agree, brilliant film. instructive to have a think about how can a film be "spare", and have its obvious longueurs, all at the same time? The director refuses to cut a scene once it's going, and this can verge on the maddening, esp as it all adds up to a pretty hefty 151 minutes. But he also misses out all those little scenes that Hollywood compulsively inserts so that the audience doesn't have to work to see all the subtexts, all the back-stories. Very powerful themes, such as the fallout from the hero's broken marriage, the background of racism, as very subtly alluded to and the audience has to infer them all by themselves. Karostami from Iran (sorry about the spelling) does this brilliantly too. I think this is what gives films like this their impact and makes them unforgettable.

[–] pmalt 15 years ago

Just as all flavors of food have their own unique appeal, movies have their own identity, pace and attitude. I found this film closer to real life, with all its ragged edges and unpredictable interactions, than the often exquisitely edited American mainstream movies. Which is to say, there's room for each. People in distress like Julia often rail on and on at the most inopportune moments. In their anguish they're oblivious to the needs of others. The screenwriter side of me was saying "edit here, edit there," while the audience side of me was saying "this is an invitation into the lives of these people, and I'm not in charge here." In the end, I chose to trust the director. One gets on for the ride, and it's best not to try to mentally control a film. Of course we can like or dislike the pacing etc., but I found it a thoroughly enjoyable and diverting movie. And I felt as if I knew that family. In fact, my kid and I turned and looked at each other laughing several times because we saw ourselves. And we're not of that culture.

[–] The_Merken 15 years ago

I just saw "la graine et le mulet" on DVD in the Netherlands. I admit we are a bit slow concerning film 'premiéres'. But nevertheless this must be one of the finest and most striking pictures about a man's struggle with his family to fulfill his dream. The imaging and close range filming, together with the fast and absolutely powerfull yet charming dialogue makes this a "must see".
I can in a way understand the reaction of some people denouncing this a slow movie, but this only means they don't see the quality of a realistic and moving story. And what about Hafsia Herzi! Talented and beautiful, full of emotion and definetely someone to be reckoned with in the future.
This movie will rank in my top 10 ever...

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PVarjak 14 years ago

Have much of an ego, do you? Ass!

[–] Oskiros-Arg 14 years ago

In agree only with a part.
Yes, this is a great and very nice view about arab culture inside France.
Yes, the director show very clear the characters, the dilogues, the general situation almost like a documentary.

But, this is not documentary, this is fiction, then you must work thinking in a movie.

All the scennes are incesary long. Yes they are real, but you can cut these scenne without lost the main point.

Some scennes have not porpouse, for example at the very ending, why is necesary the conversation between Slimane and his daughter-in-law ..??
The movie is ending, you must shut the screemplay, this scenne is completelly useless.

I know, this is a movie about arab womens, but I thinks the director abuse of the female point of view.

The women works all the time, are powerfull, strong, smart and beautifulls.
The man are lazy, weaks, don´t work and in general are a bit stupid.
And the only bad girl .... is a .... french woman... :)

For me is a pitty, because with the same brillant background, the director/writers could do a great story for a more popular movie.

Oscar from Rosario City
Argentina

[–] the sphynx 11 years ago

You're kidding, right? I mean, the movie is certainly slow in spots, but it builds and builds to the crunch ending.

"Some scennes have not porpouse, for example at the very ending, why is necesary the conversation between Slimane and his daughter-in-law ..??
The movie is ending, you must shut the screemplay, this scenne is completelly useless."

***SPOILERS***

Why is it necessary? Because that scene is one major part of showing how this family, with the best of intentions and all its combined efforts, cannot set aside its demons long enough to make the patriarch's dream of a floating restaurant work for one crucial night!

The slow-witted son can't get his act together to remember to bring in the big pot of grain along with the other things. The chronic philanderer can't keep himself under control long enough to not run off with the car to chase tail at the worst possible moment. The disobedient daughter balks at finding a beggar to give a portion to for good luck, causing the first wife to leave her kitchen at a crucial moment, because she is incapable of overcoming superstition. The sisters in his first family can't set aside their jealousy of the mistress and sorta-stepdaughter to work together with them. The betrayed wife can't set aside her own grief long enough to even notice that her father-in-law is desperate for help. The well-meaning mistress is left to cook the grain, when it's already been established that she can't cook worth a damn. And her daughter will dance herself to exhaustion in a brave but doomed effort to distract the disgruntled diners from their delayed meal.

Wrenching ending, altogether. Hard to take at the moment, but perfect in recollection even a few minutes later.

[–] arjwiz 10 years ago

Very, very, very well written. Thank you. Agree with absolutely every word of it. Also, the longer the ending continued, and the more irony we witnessed, the more it became evident that there was no other possible ending apart from what we saw.

[–] wishingwell57 14 years ago

Finally, someone else who gets this movie, too. I guess you have to have experience with North African and Arabian culture/families. You got it about unselfish giving and contributing towards the common/family good.

Americans don't get this anymore. Arabian families sacrifice for each other. They stick by each other. Yes, there are some who don't. But this movie was about an Arabian family not an American family.

Why people would expect it to be the same style as a Hollywood movie is beyond me.

I loved this movie, too. I have seen it about six times. Never get tired of it. Love the authentic belly dance scene.

What's appropriate for belly dancing movements is very different from Western movements. Many people can't handle the sexiness.