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The Source (2011)

Director: Radu Mihaileanu

Time Out rating

Average user rating

5 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

The term ‘Arab Spring’ acquires a different resonance in this right-on character comedy about the women of an unspecified rural North African village who are determined to bring running water to their community. Ever since anyone can remember, these women have had to trudge up the mountain to bring back heavy pails of water from the local spring, the rock-strewn path a precarious route. The men, of course, just sip their tea on a terrace and do nothing, until the women hit on the notion of a sex strike to force them to sort it out.

This raucous conceit leads to expectations of a jolly farce, especially given the broad schtick in Romanian director Radu Mihaileanu’s last offering ‘The Concert’. Yet this is a prime example of a movie uncertain of whether it should be funny or serious and ending up being neither. Characters lay out the different shades between tradition and liberalisation on both male and female sides, but the pace positively dawdles, and though there are moments to raise smiles (a dance routine for tourists brings provocative Arabic lyrics bowdlerised in translation), genuine laughter is in short supply. Moreover, while there are charismatic turns from Leïla Bekhti as the most progressive young woman and the amazing Biyouna as an imposing matriarch, Mother Rifle, the story is dramatically lax because it’s obvious the filmmakers are there to endorse Western views on modernisation, rather than put such preconceptions to the test. The good intentions are obvious, but a bit more crunch is sorely needed.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London Issue 2178: May 17-23, 2012

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User reviews of this film

Maria said...

Posted on May 20 2012 20:21 A stunning film, beautifully acted with poignant and wonderfully absorbing narrative. Highly recommended!

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Lee Coppack said...

Posted on May 20 2012 08:40 I agree with the review except that do not think it is a western gloss.

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John said...

Posted on May 16 2012 10:57 Interesting and very enjoyable!

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CLARE said...

Posted on May 15 2012 07:43 I really liked this, if you like a good story plus a film about women which is still pretty unusual then this will deliver

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More posts of this qluait said...

Posted on Jun 01 2011 03:03 More posts of this qluaity. Not the usual c***, please

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