ARRANGED
Brooklyn Imbroglio, or SNAMU for Short: Situation Normal, All Matched Up
PopcornReel.com Movie Review: "Arranged"
By Omar P.L. Moore/December 14, 2007
Zoe Lister-Jones, left, as Rochel and Francis Benhamou as Nasira, in "Arranged",
directed by Diane Crespo and Stefan Schaefer. The film opened today at the
Quad Cinema in Manhattan. (Photo: Dan Hersey)
Directors Diane Crespo and Stefan Schaefer produce and helm "Arranged", a peaceful and eloquent journey of New York women from different faiths (Orthodox Judaism and Muslim) who both face the family pressures of arranged marriage. Both Rochel (pronounced "Rock-uhl"), played by Zoe Lister-Jones, and Nasira (Francis Benhamou) are teachers at an elementary school in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, and when they aren't having to endure the annoying, hectoring and condescending ways of the school's Principal Jacoby (a sublime Marcia Jean Katz) they are preoccupied with the task of measuring up to time-old marital traditions in their own families, particularly Rochel's fiercely xenophobic, if not outright racist parents Matan (John Rothman) and the especially overbearing Sheli (Mimi Lieber).
"Arranged" is never short of entertaining. In HD and shot with 35mm cameras before the conversion via Dan Hersey's warm cinematography, the film contains sharp visuals -- daytime scenes in the local park, faded lenses of night lights brought sharply into focus -- and the costumes (Beth Kelleher) are beautiful, especially the traditional dress as worn by Ms. Benhamou, who radiates a depth and beauty both in her demeanor and her acting that is wondrous and infectious. Mr. Schaefer, who wrote the film's screenplay, takes care not to make "Arranged" a run-of-the-mill cliche, providing a little more realism to the prejudices or discomfort levels in both families. The film avoids gimmickry, opting for a straight-forward New York story that feels more like a film about a woman's autonomy in a male-dominated household than it does a specific look at two specific religious faiths. Both Rochel and Nasira will face difficulties before "Arranged" (which opened exclusively in New York City today at Manhattan's Quad Cinema), is over. The film ends in a predictable but somewhat abrupt fashion, though with all the humorous and hellacious experiences the two women go through, one would yearn for a bit of relief for both of them.
While Nasira has a more understanding and loving father in Abdul-Halim (Laith Nakli), who shepherds her through the minefield of men eligible for her hand in marriage, Rochel is a fish out of water at a party held by her once-Orthodox Jewish friend Leah (Alysia Reiner), and no matter how much she yearns to escape the futility of arranged matrimony -- a funny montage of the unsuitable men she is presented with is about the only time that "Arranged", which takes itself seriously for the most part, breaks format -- Rochel wants out of a secular world that is licentious, libidinous and ludicrous, even if it means returning to a household where fear and hate have been firmly instilled into her younger brother Avi (Trevor Braun). An interesting parallel develops with one of Rochel's students, a blind boy, and there is a tender moment early on between them, and later an interesting moment between one other student and Rochel, when he is excluded from an in-class exercise. One feels that the directors are trying to speak the unspoken with this moment, and as it is, or as a would-be expansion, it is one that is explained only to a degree, even if the audience senses the point that the directors and the storywriters (Mr. Schaefer and Yuta Silverman, who is also an executive producer here) are making.
In the final analysis, it is Ms. Lister-Jones and Ms. Benhamou, whose easy-going chemistry lights up "Arranged", who are essentially the film's raison d'etre. Both actors have the ability to potentially be at each other's throats given the historical tensions and volatility between their faiths, and the two share early moments of tension, though it is the tension of initially being strangers more so than being historical antagonists.
"Arranged" benefits from an economical length (barely 89
minutes) and is very easy to digest, either as a matinee show or a quiet evening
out with a date or a friend before or after dinner. Light, funny and
smart, "Arranged" works quietly, warmly and efficiently, leaving a smile of
satisfaction and some food for thought.
"Arranged" is not rated by the Motion Picture Association
of America -- it contains mild racial epithets. The film's duration is
one hour and 29 minutes and is occasional spoken in Yiddish and Arabic, though
no subtitles are needed. The film opened today exclusively at Manhattan's
Quad Cinema in New York City.
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