Bittersweet, Moroccan drama chronicling a middle class family who reunite to mourn the death of their father (screen legend Omar...
Bittersweet, Moroccan drama chronicling a middle class family who reunite to mourn the death of their father (screen legend Omar Sharif), set over the three day period called for by Muslim tradition. As the family gather, sparks fly and dramatic secrets are unearthed.
"Set in an opulent villa in Tangiers, the film unfolds over the three days of the rites of mourning dictated by Muslim custom, following the death of a prominent magnate and family patriarch, Moulay Hassan (Sharif). The solemnity of the occasion is disrupted by the unexpected return of Sofia (Morjana Alaoui), the rebellious youngest daughter who left Morocco, against her father's wishes, seeking an acting career in the US. Her sisters, Kenza (Lubna Azabal) and Miriam (Nadine Labaki), rattled by her unsettling antics, come to reconsider their life choices in moments of emotional reckoning. And as their father's remains are prepared for burial, the three siblings find themselves unearthing some dramatic family secrets." (Toronto International Film Festival)
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Where to watch Rock the Casbah (2013)
100 %8 reviewsRotten Tomatoes® rating
45 %102 reviewsAudience score rating
"There’s an old Arabic adage, says Omar Sharif (playing a ghost, with a mischievous twinkle in his aging eyes): “The dead rule the living.” In this case, the ‘living’ are five women – Sharif’s wife, maid and three daughters, reunited for their deceased patriarch’s funeral in Tangiers. Sharif’s narrator appears only briefly, watching events unfold with amused detachment as director Laïla Marrakchi keeps the focus firmly on the female leads. A good thing too, as, in the third act, the script teeters on the brink of a full-tilt melodramatic meltdown, saved only by the characterisation of the three daughters."
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Flicks
Flicks"Despite its familiarity, Marrakchi's family drama is consistently engaging and frequently amusing."
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Variety
Variety"[A] tearjerker... classically formulated yet highly effective."
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Hollywood Reporter
Hollywood ReporterRock the Casbah (2013) | Details
- Runtime
- 99
- Genre
- Comedy, Drama
- Country of origin
- France, Morocco
