Chick flicks, if you will pardon the expression, don’t have to be silly, inane, or over sentimental. I call Cairo Time a “chick flick” because it has, in my estimation, enormous appeal to women . . . and to me. Even though it is set in the turmoil that is the hot crowded middle east.
I have never heard of the this movie. I downloaded it because it starred Patricia Clarkson . . . when has she ever been in a bad movie? I am not only a huge fan but I trust her selection of roles. The movie maker, whom I never heard of either, is Ruba Nadda a young Canadian Director/Writer/Cinematographer who must have a serious love affair with Egypt. Cairo Time makes Egypt look like one of the most beautiful and interesting places on Earth . . . even though Nadda does not hide the fact it’s hot, crowded, politically unstable and not quite Western in it’s less than liberal social values. The story is full of subtle, and not so subtle, nuances of a clash of cultures (you might have heard . . . the role of women is much different in a Muslim country) and the emotional conflict when circumstances present . . . shall we say . . . options in one’s personal life. For reasons I won’t explore here, I doubt Cairo Time will ever show up in an American cinema. It’s not even listed in IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes. So download it here.
