Reviews

Judging by other reviews, there's a lot of misperception of film so let's try to get the record straight about what the documentary includes and what it's trying to convey to the viewer.

First of all, it shows some stunning imagery and repetitive video editing that is overlaid with music and speeches. It is very much focused on style. Some of these are meant to criticize modern day capitalism, some are meant to mock the leaders/proponents of the establishment, and some are simply showing the ramifications of consumerism.

Secondly, the films shows alternatives to the status-quo like Cuba and primitivism. These are montages with imagery or just the people speaking directly to the camera.

What biggest misunderstanding people seem to have is about "style over substance". However, actually, since it's made in the repetitive style of a commercial, that is in fact is the entire point. The goal is to make you think of how you receive your information and leaves you with content you need to digest. If you're passive, which is what most TV watching is anyway, you'll get nothing at all from the content. The goal of the filmmakers is to have you reflect on both the means and the results of business as usual and to stop being passive to the information you receive.

The second misunderstanding seems to revolve around what it's advocating. Unlike what some seem to think, it's neither to follow the Cuban model or the primitivist model. The imagery and speeches while less scathing, are left to show these as being also hollow in the end. Overall, none of them are presented very appealingly. But just when you think it might finish being a nihilistic deconstruction of modern day society comes the "point", if there is one. It's the next to last line of the movie: "I want something else."

The Middle East is such a hot topic, but so little of the conversation is generated by natives that it's almost impossible to have any sort of dialog. On the one hand, we get the western phobia of Islam which includes hateful stories on the people/governments of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. On the other hand, we get the defensive responses of the governments/peoples of those countries who hate to have their countries painted in such broad strokes. This is exactly why a movie like this is so important! For once, we're presented with a perspective that looks at the issues with introspection. It might not the perfect description of life in Saudi for a woman, but it's a start and it brings up important points.

I'll start with the fact that the cinematography and acting are excellent. Those who might expect a B-movie production from a Saudi filmmaker making her first movie will be more than pleasantly surprised. The script is well written, the actors play their roles fantastically and the movie is well edited.

As far as plot, the movie is seemingly about a girl whose goal is to acquire a bike and the obstacles she needs to overcome to do so. On the surface, this might seem like a really simplistic plot but the way the story is told makes in much different than the normal protagonist overcomes difficulty story. And in fact, as it soon becomes apparent, the story isn't even really about the bike at all, but a chance to give context to the lives of women.

And thought I might have already raved about the technical aspects and how the story is told, in reality the #1 reason you should see this movies is because of the questions it raises. In the movie, we are confronted with important issues about the role of women is Saudi society and the different nuances of life. There is just the right balance of things that are told to us directly and what we must infer. To westerners, it might be one the first times we get this perspective. To Saudis and proponents of Islamic law, it's a chance to begin a discussion about the role of women in Saudi society. Regardless of where you stand, this movie is an opportunity to start the education process and the discussion on the topics at hand.