May in the Summer 2013

     After the successful release of her first book, May is thinking she has it all.  To top it off, she is preparing to marry her sensible, stable, studious fiancé.  She travels to meet with her family in Amman, Jordan.  It’s been too difficult to plan the ceremony in New York where she lives.  She has underestimated the drama and chaos of the life she was leading in Amman.  Her mother Nadine is judgmental and headstrong.  Nadine disapproves of the forthcoming marriage because Ziad is a Muslim.  She plans to boycott the wedding and refuses to attend.  May has two younger sisters, Dalia and Yasmine.  Her sisters seem to behave like children even though they are adults?  Her estranged father has remarried and it is a BIG surprise to May that he is interested in making amends?  May begins to question everything from her past and her present?

     I wonder if May would’ve been better served in this period of her life if she had planned her wedding in New York and continued what she established for herself in the United States?  Everything she has set in motion, thinking of doing and preparing for comes under intense scrutiny.  I wonder if she will regret the decisions she is making under family pressure?  I don’t believe she plans to remain in Amman?  Does she need to remold her life to adjust to this culture if she isn’t going to live there but return to New York?  Is her first priority pleasing her family or living her own life?  None of these questions are addressed or answered in this film?  3* (This movie is OK) 

99 min, Drama directed by Cherien Dabis with Alaadin Khasawneh, Cherien Dabis, Alia Shawkat, Nadine Malouf, Hiam Abbass, Tarek Shafakoj, Ali Elyan, Mary Nuqul, Sima Salti, Ritu Singh Pande, Bill Pullman.

Note:  Imdb 5.7 out of 10, Amazon 4.2* out of 5* with 9 reviews, Read The Spirit 3* out of 5*, Screen Crush 5* out of 10*.

Special Note:  Filmed in Jordan.  This is the second time I’ve seen this film and I reviewed it previously in February of 2015.   Cherien Dabis is the writer, director and lead actress in this film.  She was also the director, writer and executive producer of Amreeka 2009.  She was the supervising producer of 6 episodes of Empire from 2016 to 2017.