Cinematography:
Dan HerseyCast:
Zoe Lister Jones, Francis Benhamou, John Rothman, Daniel London, Ricky Smith, Peggy Gormley, Alison Becker, David Castro, Alysia Reiner, Larry Mills (more)Plots(1)
Rochel is an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin. They are both young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. They also have something else in common--they are going though the process of arranged marriages through their respective religions and traditional customs. With both family pressure on the one hand, and the rejection of traditional values by the outside world on the other, Rochel and Nasira will have to rely on each other and their friendship to pull through this difficult time of their lives, striving to be strong women in charge of their own happiness, while keeping their deep religious and cultural convictions. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
It is said that American indie filmmakers don’t know what to make movies about, so they make movies about themselves. Arranged partially demonstrates this, as it is based on the experience of one of the producers and its first third captures the viewer’s interest with its extraordinary authenticity. The actresses are spontaneous and their shy smiles are natural. Nothing forced. When the screenplay exhausts the potential of the situation consisting in “Orthodox Jewish woman meets Muslim man”, it starts to look back on the story, which turns out to be a more or less standard romantic comedy. There are clichés, such as visiting the grandmother’s grave, a montage of unsuitable suitors and an argument with the mother, who of course doesn’t understand anything. Thanks in part to the actress playing Rochel, who resembles Jennifer Connelly, Arranged turns out to be a clever and likable film and, given its school setting, I will refrain from nit-picking it for its occasional didacticism. 70%
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The film presents quite a relatable view of a multicultural society. It has only confirmed my belief that minorities that are the most vocal because they are supposedly discriminated against by society are not exactly brimming with tolerance towards others themselves. The story itself was depressingly funny, the funniest part being the realization that if Jews and Muslims didn't call their god a different name, they wouldn't be that much different. The film only reinforced my certainty that it's best to be an atheist.
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