Customer Reviews

Sabah: A Love Story

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I stumbled upon "Sabah" on The Sundance Channel and was very glad to see it released on DVD. "Sabah" is a surprisingly touching film that is engaging and beautifully acted. It's a throwback to a long gone era of romantic films. And not a major Hollywood star in sight (thank goodness). Arsinee Khanjian gives a wonderful performance as Sabah, a middle-aged woman struggling to find freedom in love while being stuck inside her strict Muslim family. The real treat is Shawn Doyle as her would-be suitor. "Sabah" is a sweet little film that tells a universal story of love and romance.

This is a truly lovely little movie that celebrates the best impulses in human beings. The fact that it deals with Syrian Mulsims is incidental. Its story could easily apply to any other ethnic group at its moment of moving from insularity to full citizenship in a larger culture. You. Will. Love. It.

Sabah is a sweet My Big Fat Greek Wedding, only with Syrian Muslims. Some of the acting is shaky, especially in the beginning. Family members in the first scenes have to explain things to the audience in a bit too much explication. Strange then that the family relationships of all the people don't get sorted out very well. Are there four sisters? Three sisters and a daughter? Two sisters, a sister-in-law, and a daughter? Bingo!

But the funny, predictable moments of the forbidden romance, and the tender feelings and slow courtship of the couple in question, will satisfy viewers who stick with it past the first 15 minutes. Expect standard culture-clash jokes and tension, but in a fairly satisfying romantic comedy concoction.

While a Syrian-Canadian family is obsessed with finding the appropriate husband for young Souhaire (who wants to choose her own husband), her 40 year old aunt meets an atheist carpenter (Stephen, played by Shawn Doyle) at a public swimming pool. The aunt, Sabah (played flawlessly by Arsine Khanjian), slowly comes out of her traditional shell, and explores the delights of being in the company of an interesting person, regardless of religion or background (although Stephen is a bit more pouty than I like). As she falls in love with Stephen, she also dreads the inevitable clash with her family, particularly the authoritarian brother, Majid.

Sabah: A Love Story does not use supermodels to portray real people. Every character has physical or behavioral flaws. Souhaire's attempts to turn off her suitor with a overly traditional act was a hoot, as was Sabah's real angst when an unknown man accidentally picked up and used her towel at the pool.

This was just a pleasant movie throughout. Yes, you knew the clashes would come. And you'll expect some sort of resolution. But this predictability doesn't detract from the sensitivity of Sabah's growing awareness of herself.

In English, with subtitles during the Arabic exchanges.

This 2005 Canadian film is a lightweight look at a cross cultural romance between a 40 year old unmarried Muslim woman named Sabah and a Canadian carpenter. Sabah takes care of her mother and has been the dutiful daughter all her life. There is conflict in the family though because her 18-year-old niece is resisting the matchmaking efforts her father, Sabah's brother, who heads the family as the only male.

How this all turns out is a predictable romp through the ups and downs of Sabah's secret love and the struggles of the immigrant family to adapt to modern culture and still enjoy their heritage. The film is enhanced by the fine acting of Arsinee Khanjian cast as Sabah. She does not have traditional good looks, but the expressions on her face make her endearing and it is easy to identify with her conflicts.

The film is fast paced enough for my taste and I found myself caught up in it even though there was no doubt in my mind how it would end. It might not be totally believable but in spite of this, I enjoyed it completely.

Sabah A Love Story is exactly that, It's not meant to be a Documentary of Muslim Life. Its a Love Story. Set in Canada, Sabah's story spans a period of a year, begins on her 40th Birthday, ends on her 41st . Sabah brilliantly played by the Award Winning Arsinée Khanjian, is a woman who has been deprived of a life, in order to look after their Mother. Sabah and Steven's relationship begins at a Community swimming pool. Swimming is something she used to love and has not done in a very long time. Their attraction to one another is instant; they meet weekly at the pool followed by coffee or Lunch. Get to know each other, their common likes such as Opera, Steven begins to learn lessons of what pursuing a relationship with this woman will mean. Steven reveals at one of their coffee clutches that he is divorced, Sabah is void of understanding "Divorce". She fears this may have killed any real hope of furthering their relationship, when Steven asks her out on a real date. But Sabah must keep this relationship a secrete from: Her older sister, Shaheera, is Conservative, and looking Marry her, westernized daughter, Souhaire, off to the highest bidder, older brother, Majid, head of the family, who tries to rule with an Iron Fist. Majid's Wife Amal, modern and has her own secrets. Souhaire, the only one to know about Steven and her Mother who is somewhere between Conservative and Modern. Again this is not a Documentary, it's a story. As Sabah's love for Steven grows, her ability to "Bend the Rules" does also. Sabah emotionally moves away from her family and closer to Steven. Steven tries to understand Sabah and Islam. Sabah tries to bend with out breaking to the point of Loosing her family or Steven. The Acting by the Leads is Strong, their chemistry, remarkable. The ensemble is good. No rated, there is one use of foul language, No nudity but yes an Adult situation, lets be honest, Day Time Soap Operas are more offensive than Sabah A Love Story. Likely would have been PG.

This is a lovely story of a Muslim woman who at forty still lives at home with her mother. Sabah's brother was entrusted to care for the entire family upon his father's death. He takes this patriarchal role very seriously and becomes overbearing and opressive.

Sabah is given as a gift on her fortieth birthday, a framed photo of her and her father at the beach. It reminds her that she loves the water and she loves swimming. She goes to the public pool and meets Steve when her towel is mistaken for his.

This is Sabah's story of love and of trying to reconcile what she herself believes with what her Muslim tradition teaches.

I sort of expected My Big Fat Muslim Wedding, but it wasn't humorous in that vein. Sabah is a more subtle but beautifully told story of two cultures meeting and melding.

Having known some Muslims, I know like any faith, the rules they adhere to are all over the map.
This movie is inconsistent within itself. But, I don't think it was written as a anthropological study.

It's a love story, so lighten up.

Sabah is a 40 year old woman, that takes care of her Mom and is supported by her brother while doing so. Her brother; now the head of the family since his father died, calls the shots for the family. He overlooks not only her finances, but also how she lives her life. She is somewhat headstrong and has avoided being paired off in the past. Chaffing against the strict Muslim rules she has decided to pursued her love of swimming. This leads to a chance meeting of a single Christian man, who she forms a first a friendship with. Over time, it blossoms to much more. In the mean time, her young niece is being paired off by her brother in lieu of being sent to a university. This is very much not to Sabah or her niece's liking. Things come to a crucial point for the niece. Other issues are revealed and Sabah's budding relationship needs to end or be made known. All of these factors force the family to reconsider how they have been living.

Besides the peculiar mix of Muslim inconsistencies:
Sabah nearly has a unibrow, but her mother's, are painted on.
Sabah's brother's wife, does not wear a hijab, but the older sister is expected to. Muslim's I knew it was stricter for married women than single ones. But then the brother's wife is not from the old country.
Sabah's mother to me except for the grey hair looks younger than Sabah.
Sabah's mother seems ditzy (maybe Alzheimers is implied) not infirm in any way, so caring for her makes no sense.

This is a movie to be taken lightly and not examined too closely.
I find the love interest character Steve, to be fairly shallowly handled. He is defensive about his divorce and felt his wife traded up (his exact words). Though he is clearly interested in learning more about Sabah's culture, his character in only lightly handled. He does come across as a sweet gentle man. Being quite attractive doesn't hurt either.

This is a nice light "Cinderella" story and pleasant to watch.

a film that is heart warming and fun. Great performances and just a really, strong and forceful and let u see that anything is possible and can happen we just have to be patient.

being Arabic + Muslim girl from ME, shocked *at first* from this movie idea. it gives wrong idea about what we should do (e.g: wearing Hijab) and what we shouldn't do (e.g: wearing Bikini in Public, Drinking wine), at the same time i can't deny that it-can-happens-in-real-life.

being educated & open-minded at the same time, love can happens between any couples.

loved the movie so that i bought it from Amazon.com.