Khaled (2001) Online

Low-budget movie describes how difficult life can be. The story of Khaled, a young boy born to a French-Canadian mother and an Arab father. Khaled lives with his mother in an apartment complex in Toronto. Having recently visited some of these buildings, I can corroborate the way the director puts them: some kind of death hole. Even more difficult for the newly arrived immigrants who have to face constant double-standard behaviors towards them.

The movie might seem to run long a bit, but it's an overall touching film. A movie that needed to be made.

Out of 100, I gave it 80. That's good for *** out of ****.

Seen at the Carleton Odeon Cinemas, in Toronto, on April 26th, 2002.

This is what indie films should be. Khaled combines the sweetness and story of a feature film with the raw, real-life feel of a documentary.... in a way that is uniquely entertaining and truly provocative.

Be prepared to relate to a child character like none before. You'll be talking about this around the water cooler tomorrow... and you won't forget Khaled for a lifetime.

Truly is a movie done with the feel of a strong emotional attachment

---->SPOILER ALERT<-----

looking at the main character (Khaled) at the beginning you can see he is a remarkable and strong young man.We all see the state of the mother we all know she has passed. In his mind he knows shes gone but he is unwilling to accept the fact.He does not wish to be taken from her (mother) again.

The whole time we see him going through the trials and trivializations of a school boy we see how he gets picked on yet he keeps a strong front. I find this film was meant too show us how tough life can be for a child subject to the Child services and foster care system. when we get passed the fact the mother is dead we see the story of Khaled unfold right before our eyes and how hard he must work to keep things on par.

with the introduction of the kindly old blind lady. We can interpret she senses that something is wrong and we see she truly cares for this young man and only wishes too help him. Yet until the end he evades her and all her advances of help.

Adding almost a villain like character we look at the building caretaker he seems to want nothing more then to get khaled he never even thinks to have some form of compassion. Come the end of the film we do see the strength and determination of khaled when he leaves the apartment near the conclusion of the film in order to save the young man known as Ivan from the the caretaker (Francois) he comes running down to the storage room where we find Ivan has been knocked down and Francois on top of him.

Khaled runs and attacks Francois and manages to help Ivan though Ivan does seem to be hurt and is bleeding you can get the general feeling of alleviation..... The conclusion ends with Khalid finally confiding in the kindly old lady that his mother has died. The takes him into her home with a sign of almost knowing sadness on her face. Conclude credits this is a film that i truly feel carry's a very strong message that no matter what happens a child is never alone and never without somewhere or someone to turn too. Sometimes we need to take a look around us and just look at the world and realize we are not alone and we need to realize that we need to help one another. We must always remember that children are our future and we need to nourish and teach them all there is in order to make them into great adults

I submit this review in light that it is only my opinion and in short my ideas and interpretation to this wonderful and insightful film