Halal Love (2015) Online

This is a deeper film than it first appears, examining cultural expectations of marriage - expectations that often conflict with the actual hopes of husbands and wives.

Sure, it is funny and moves quickly, without lingering too long on any one scene or story line. The pacing and snappy dialogue give the film a light, whimsical feel. But it cleverly draws us deep into the private lives of each couple and their various hopes and challenges, revealing variously - love, loss, frustration and the right way to make tabbouleh.

Darine Hamze, Zeinab Hind Khadra and Mirna Moukarzel are outstanding as the women in search of happiness with their hapless men (ably played by Rodrigue Sleiman, Hussein Mokadem and Ali Sammoury).

Don't be late or you'll miss the funny and awkward first scene in which a teacher valiantly tries to explain to her young students how babies are made - only to leave them more confused and afraid of... well, you'll see.

While violent conflicts continue in the Middle East, it's encouraging to see films, even more, comedies, being made.

The vast majority of Middle Eastern films are cloaked in drama, sadness, and forbidden love. "Halal Love (and sex)" had all those elements but with a strong comedic center. There were multiple characters with intertwining stories, it was clear that director Assad Fouladkar was inspired by Asghar Farhadi's exemplary work. Except with "Halal Love (and sex)" the family issues felt more like background noise while the comedy took center stage.

The scenes were charming and informative to some Muslim practices. At times it felt mildly disrespectful to laugh at the rules of the culture. Unfortunately Muslims are not seen in the best light in 2016, a mindset I disagree with heavily, so to show a lighter side of Muslim culture may be just what it needs.

I was lucky to see director Assad Fouladkar speak in person about the film. He seems to be a visionary man, I hope to see more from him in the future.