Cairo Time is a fish out of water in a romantic story of sorts. Juliette Grant (American actor Patricia Clarkson) is in Cairo to meet her husband Mark (Tom McCamus). Mark is away on a project with the United Nations. Mark's assistant Tareq Khalifa (English actor Alexander Siddig) picks Juliette from the airport and becomes her connection to Cairo.
Juliette is not used to the ways of Egypt. Men follow her because she wears Western dress. She talks about her children being grown so she has more time.
The setup is for eventual romance with Juliette and Tareq but takes its time in the 90-minute film. Juliette gets time to bond with Kathryn (Spanish actor Elena Anaya).
She learns shukran, thank you in Arabic, and uses that throughout the film. Juliette accidentally ends up at a men's only cafe.
Clarkson and Cairo are the primary reasons to see the film. Clarkson is so gifted, a true actor's actor. Writer/director Ruba Nadda showcases the beauty, warts and all, of Cairo.
The romance in the film is extremely subtle; this is not a typical romantic film. The story is about Juliette and discovery and frustration and waiting. She alternates between bonding with Tareq and the women she encounters in her journeys.
CanadianCrossing.com film reviews
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The Canadian content appears limited to brief screen time for McCamus and writer/director Ruba Nadda.
Cairo Time is a lovely film about a woman of a certain age who tries to figure out what is next for her in her life. A timeless story in a beautiful setting. The pace is relaxed even a bit slow yet highly enjoyable.
Cairo Time won Best Canadian Film at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.
video credit: YouTube/Mongrel Media
photo credit: Cairo Time
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