Cairo Time - 3 smiles

I saw an interesting movie last night called “Cairo Time,” starring Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig. Clarkson is luminous and effective as Juliette, a Canadian wife just arrived in Cairo to rendezvous with Mark, her UN worker husband, only to discover he’s delayed by his work in Gaza. Her portrayal of a woman not looking for another love but finding it anyway is subtle and affecting. I thought Alexander Siddig looked familiar when the camera zoomed in for a close-up. He played Dr. Julian Bashir on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999). He is sympathetic as the handsome Tareq, a retired UN security officer and Mark’s friend. At Mark’s request, Tareq plays tour guide for Juliette, taking her on a Nile cruise, to Alexandria for a wedding and ultimately, to the pyramids.

Director and writer Ruba Nadda pulls you into the often chaotic milieu of Cairo with its bustling streets, crowded bazaars and honking traffic that forces you to slow down – hence, Cairo time. Her film is all about beauty, subtlety, and unspoken communication. And there’s also the delightful clash of cultures, which takes the form of verbal sparring between Juliette and Tareq, where at times he is the teacher and at times she is. Clarkson and Siddig are wonderful together and I found myself hoping that Mark would stay in Gaza. Nadda’s conclusion, which she says she wrote first before the rest of her script, is bittersweet and appropriate. 8/4/10