By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Nadine Labaki
Original language title: Sukkar Banat
Country: france, lebanon
Year: 2008
Running time: 85
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0825236/
Michael says: “We saw this French/Lebanese co-production a couple months ago as part of the Sunday Eye Opener, but as it’s opening next weekend, I thought I’d mention it now. Billed as a bit of a STEEL MAGNOLIAS in Beirut, CARAMEL does, in fact, share some of that female bonding at the beauty parlor with that afore-mentioned film. What makes CARAMEL rise above the standard fare is the fact that it takes place in Beirut! While the culture and the surroundings are different from what we are familiar with, the struggles these women share are not so alien. Yet filmmaker Nadine Labaki doesn’t go for the easy route with her resolutions, but rather sticks to more realistic outcomes. Most shocking of all, perhaps, is the lengths one of these women will go to retain the elusive youth that people seek at the beauty salon.”