Quickcard Review
The Wedding Song
Directed by: Karin Albou Cast: Lizzie Brochere, Olympe Borval Running Time: 1 hr 40 mins Rating: PG-13
COMPLETE COVERAGE - 33rd Portland International Film Festival
PLOT: When the Nazis occupy Tunisia, it strains the friendship of Myriam (Brochere), a young Jewess, and Nour (Borval), a traditional Muslim. It's called The Wedding Song, because they are both in the process of marrying horrible a-holes.
WHO'S IT FOR? If you're happy SOLELY with beautiful cinematography, then knock yourself out.
OVERALL
In one scene that lasts around ten minutes long, Myriam is getting waxed for her pervert husband because he prefers her "Oriental-style" on their wedding night...hold on...okay, had to go throw up, but I'm back now. The wax appears to be some sort of tree sap that tears out her pubic hair as she screams and cries and we get an extreme close up of her vagina while she's being held down and forcibly waxed. It acts as a tidy summation for my entire experience during this film--painful, long, and humiliating. The film itself looks gorgeous and its two main actresses have to be the most stunning human beings on the planet, but otherwise there is nothing that striking or enjoyable about it.
It is realistic, but there are lots of things that are realistic that I'd rather not watch in my spare time, such as children being raped or animals being tortured or the effects biological warfare has on an unsuspecting village. The Wedding Song is grueling and unpleasant and its realism isn't a firm check in the benefits column. Art is inherently subjective and based in personal experience, so it's more than likely another person seeing this movie would think it was the bees knees. As pretty as it is to look at, I cannot give it bees knees status. There are so many other films about World War II out there that can actually, physically reach into your chest and squeeze your heart that I wouldn't waste time with something that's more eye-candy than substance.
Quick note to the filmmakers: the screechy, strange, off-key opera song that you used at least three times throughout the film? Not helping.
FINAL SCORE: 3/10