SmugKitZine Tied for the best movie I have ever seen

SoftInloveRox Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Brooklynn There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

trimmerb1234 "What is a Mum?" a British television advertisement once famously asked - the answer (in the 1950s) was someone who cooked for her family, washed their clothes cleaner than anyone else and was an attractive help mate for Dad.A (modest Tunisian widowed) Mum we are asked to believe, ditches 40 years of ingrained modesty and glides without too much difficulty into shaking her booty for a male audience at a sleazy club where patrons arrange sexual liaisons with the dancers. That she starts an affair with one of the musicians, perhaps 15 years her junior, who in turn dates her daughter and that she coolly and with utter poise deals with this novel highly delicate and unconventional situation. And finally at her daughter's wedding Mum dances erotically for her son-in-law/lover and all's well that ends well.The over extended soft porn love-making scene between Mum and future son-in-law rather gives the game away - the Tunisian director wants to demonstrate that her film (and liberated Tunisians) need cede little in terms of liberation to modern day France. Additionally it is sending a message that Tunisian women brought up in traditional ways can instantly and deftly adopt very sophisticated attitudes disregarding binding religious and cultural taboos both privately and in public.For those Tunisians who admire European sexual liberation and female emancipation it is presumably a brave landmark film and a blow struck against the old ways.As a window on modern Tunisia it seems unconvincing even nonsensical however well shot and in the case of Mum, charmingly acted.

Sherazade I like films that make you think, open ended films like this one that challenge your convictions and norms. The plot is very simple, nothing too fancy, it's very ordinary actually until it becomes complex later on. A young widow begins to lead a monotonous lifestyle following the death of her husband (whom she stills talks to in old photographs, by the way) while raising a teenage daughter in Tunisia. She likes dancing but does not know how to express herself in a society that would frown upon a widow trying to act lively or life-like, so she keeps it all inside.One day, while walking home from the market she hears music coming for a dance studio and ventures in for a peek. She finds a troupe of belly-dancers practicing and in the midst of them is her daughter, whom she watches for a while before deciding to go and wait outside. At the end of the rehearsal her daughter comes out to join her and they walk home together. The next day, the mother goes out again and this time spots a cabaret which she ventures into and faints when she witnesses the dancing, drinking and smoking that is going on in there. When she comes to, she is the midst of all the belly-dancers who have gathered around her in concern. The lead dancer clears the room and assures the woman that everything is alright and thus the friendship between the two women begins. The widow then begins to make it a habit of sneaking out every night to go and watch the belly-dancers dance and one night she even goes as far as she slip into one of their outfits for a little backstage dancing of her own. But all hell breaks loose when the head belly-dancer, her new best-friend spots her and drags her to the stage. The widow becomes an instant hit and is hired to begin dancing at the cabaret. With her slick moves, untamed fire and wild abandon, she soon attracts the attention of legions of male fans including the male drummer of the dancers backing band, all of whom she rebuffs. One night, when the drummer saves her from practically being raped, a friendship develops between the two of which ultimately leads to a sexual relationship later one (which the drummer is quick to end). Meanwhile back at home, the widow's love stricken teenage daughter has finally decided to open up to her mother and bring home her secret boyfriend who has now become her fiancé, and who also turns out to be (yup, you guessed it) the same cabaret drummer her mother has been sleeping with. This film is a must watch for anyone who appreciates world cinema and fine film making.

tonebone the plot of this movie is a bit contrived in certain places: i find it hard to believe that a widow can morph herself into a belly dancer/mrs. robinson type in such a short timespan, especially in conservative tunisia.despite that, i'd have to say this is quite an "aphrodisiac" movie: for you guys out there who are dating "shy" women, or for you guys out there who want to rekindle some passion in your love life, have a go at watching this movie together, and then enjoy each other as the "tiger" within your woman comes out!my thanks to raja amari (a new & promising talent) for a wonderful aphrodisiac.

movieZombie great coming of age film about a middle aged woman who finds out that she has a lot of life in her and to live. and i loved the sound track! the comment has been made that the first half of the film was slow but i just found it very "french". however, the 2nd half of the film was not edited nearly as well. its good to see a film in which older women are portrayed as sensually desirable!