Caramel - Mini-review

I had the good fortune to meet Nadine Labaki, the director and star of the Lebanese film, Caramel at Sundance last year. She was named one of Variety's 10 women directors to watch. Finally, I watched her debut film today as it had bubbled up on my Netflix queue. (And yes, she's just as gorgeous and delightful in person.)

When you think Lebanese film, you probably are picturing some war-torn landscape and a dramatic film filled with religious and political strife. Nadine Labaki's Caramel is none of that. It's a romantic comedy set in modern Beirut about 5 women who work or visit a beauty shop. The Caramel of the title is what is used for waxing in the Middle East. The opening shot of the film is the caramel being made, sugar, lemon and water cooked to a paste, that you can't help tasting. It's a metaphor for the women's lives as well, something bittersweet, and used for removing things they don't like about themselves.

I thoroughly enjoyed this look into another world. These women live modern lives, and yet there is that tension between East and West, and tradition. One woman is a lesbian, one is having an affair with a married man, and another worries that her fiance will find out she isn't a virgin on their wedding night. The problems of love are universal, but some of their challenges unique. Nadine's character Layale tries to book a hotel room for her and her lover, and is asked over an over for an ID card to prove she is married. The woman who is about to be married, looks to getting surgery to restore her "virginity" for her wedding night. But all through there is plenty of comedy. Another amazing thing about this film is that all but two of the actors had no acting experience, and you'd never know it!

It's just a delightful film, and so refreshing to see these stories told through a woman's eyes. This isn't the formulaic rom coms we're used to. Three and a half stars, and I look forward to seeing what Nadine Labaki gives us next! Caramel was a darling of the festival circuit and has an incredible 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch the trailer below to get a bit of the flavor of Caramel: