Arab Blues
Arab Blues

Movie spotlight

Arab Blues

2020
Movie
88 min
French

Selma, a psychoanalyst, deals with a cast of colorful new patients after returning home to Tunisia to open a practice.

Insights

IMDb6.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes84%
Metacritic68/100
Google Users79%
Director: Manele LabidiGenres: Comedy, Drama

Plot Summary

Leila, a Tunisian-French psychotherapist, returns to Tunis to open her own practice. Navigating the vibrant yet complex post-Arab Spring society, she finds herself dealing with a mix of patients seeking therapy for everything from marital woes to existential crises. As she tries to establish her clinic and personal life, Leila encounters unexpected challenges and charming characters who add color to her journey.

Critical Reception

Arab Blues was generally well-received by critics for its charming performances, gentle humor, and insightful portrayal of contemporary Tunisian society. Reviewers often highlighted Golshifteh Farahani's engaging performance as the central character and praised the film for its nuanced exploration of personal freedom and cultural identity in a post-revolutionary landscape.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its witty and insightful humor.

  • Applauded for Golshifteh Farahani's captivating performance.

  • Noted for its sensitive depiction of post-revolution Tunisia.

Google audience: Audiences found the film to be a refreshing and amusing look at modern Tunisian life, with many appreciating the blend of comedy and drama and the strong central performance. Some viewers noted that the pacing could be slow at times, but overall, it was considered an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for the Golden Eye at the Cannes Film Festival (2019), Audience Award at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (2019).

Fun Fact

The film was shot on location in Tunis, capturing the authentic atmosphere and vibrant street life of the city.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
Tejas Nair

Tejas Nair

Arab Blues (A Couch in Tunis) is an instantly likeable film. Its opening shot - about an old man's description of who Sigmund Freud might be from his looks - is charming and so is the story that succeeds it of a young woman (Golshifteh Fara...