KATO-SUBZERO Sunday, 7 February 2016 Shalom. Ma nish ma? This is a great film. I wonder why I have not heard or seen it in the year of 2007 when it was released. This film is great from start to finish. It shows how two young women, one Jewish American and one Arab American who bond and develops a friendship by way of working as public teachers. Their friendships shows how much better the world would be if only the two groups would open their hearts and minds. Arabs & Jews are in reality half brothers/half sister. The two women also have something in common with both sets of families are trying to forced each one into marrying a man they do not date, get to know nor love, henceforth the title "Arranged" or "Arranged Marriage." I thank God that I live in great U.S. America where our parents in our society does Not force or allow their teens to marry before they are 18 or 21 and marry a man or woman, they do Not get to date and know well and most important to find things in common and physical attractions. In my opinion, 18 is to early, barely out of high school. This film also show bigotry and racism when Rochel, the young Jewish woman brings home her Arab friend, Nasira and the same when Rochel is in the Arab home. However, in the Arab home, it seems to be a little more friendly and tolerant.This hatred is NOT of God and Jesus Christ/Yeshua, but due to long ago feuds ever since in the Holy Bible, Abraham was married to his Jewish wife, Sarah who could not have kids. Sarah gave husband Abe permission to be with their house maid, Hagar, an Egyptian Arab woman. Abraham's first son was Ishmael by Hagar. Later on, Abe had a son with his wife, Sarah whose name was Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael was forced to leave and so the feud of hate began.In reality, "Racism, bigotry and hate is something a child is taught, Not something a child is born with." and "True Love sees No skin color" Anyhoo, this film is excellent. I give it a 10 and two thumbs up.Shalom, Laila Tov. La heet ra ot.

Gabriel Dertzer This comedy/drama/romance is neither funny, dramatic, nor romantic.The acting is wooden and amateurish, the cinematography is no better than a home movie, the editing is embarrassing, and the directing is appalling. Did I mention how awful the acting is? It's bad, really bad. It's impossible to feel any affinity for any of the characters and so difficult to care what happens in the film or to the individuals.The script is constructed entirely of clichéd language and set pieces that make the whole movie feel disjointed and clunky. It alludes to providing insight into the age-old relationship between Jews and Muslims but doesn't expose or inform in any way.Above all of this, the major failure is the soundtrack which is so irritating that, if you watch this film at all, you should turn the sound off and watch with subtitles.

kastellos This is a most wonderful film. The acting is first rate, the direction is well paced and the New York backdrop is a joy to see.The story may appear contrived to some, but to me it was believable. Coming from a strong ethnic background (although not as strong as Jewish Orthodoxy or Observant Muslim), I understood the conflicts "typical" American culture and values place on those that are a little different. While we in America (especially the media) are tolerant of, accommodate and even promote, gays, lesbians, PETA, and most other non-mainstream groups, we don't tend to tolerate religious conservatives. This movie shows that such people are real people. Of course they are lucky to live in America where they can freely practice their beliefs.The movie works on many planes. The father-daughter relationships are charming. The relationship between the young women and their principal, and with their siblings is also well done. The happy "Jane Austin" ending may not be totally realistic, but it makes most of us feel good inside.It is both serious and funny. The plethora of ill-suited suitors is very funny; reminds me of the suitors the father in My Big Fat Greek Wedding invites to dinner.The lifestyle of Leah and the women's fellow teachers is a real picture of today's young people. They drink, smoke dope and "hook-up" without a second thought that there may be something wrong with such a life style.The movie is also about choices. This is made obviously clear when Rachel "tells off" her principal.I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I laughed when it was funny and teared up when it was heart-warming, and came away looking forward to see it again. I highly recommend it.

yal-3 It's hard to say why this movie is not as bad as it sounds. The story of two teachers , a young Muslim woman and an Orthodox Jewish girl, who become allies against the stereotypes they encounter and who end up best friends, sounds like a Hallmark tale--all sugar and spice and everything nice. And the idea of arranged marriages working out well for both sides is also somewhat of a cliché. However, this movie somehow manages to be heartfelt and it contains some nice moments. The two young actresses are very convincing in their respective roles and the atmosphere in the Jewish family is captured quite accurately...maybe because the writer/director knows that milieu well.It's refreshing to see such a positive depiction of a traditional Muslim family in the climate of so much anti- Muslim propaganda. But they seem too good to be true. And the ending suggests that it is women who really "rule" the world by manipulating their "weak" husbands, a very annoying stance to say the least, and one which does not fit the film as a whole.This is a nice little film which would have done better had it avoided some of the very stereotypes it sets out to dispel.