I’ll get back on this when I see the movie.

I thought you said: “But don’t worry: I’ll keep politics out of this review.”

I totally disagree with your opinion about the movie. You must not forget it IS a comedy, and as you know, a comedy is just like a caricature. Only the ‘funny’ thing that attract attention are highlighted.

Keep that in mind, while seeing this film. And forget politics!!!

Greetz, Ab

I do see however that you really struggled (as a resident Dutch viewer) with the portrayal of the characters, which you call stereotypes. Why are they stereotypes to you? Does the fact that you might know some Moroccans that study or have a steady job make these stereotypes any less true? No my friend, it doesn’t. Take it from me that these stereotypes -however exaggerated as stereotypes tend to be- are very lifelike. That is why you see practically the whole gamut of what we call ‘allochtonen’ (immigrants) represented in one family. This depiction which you call mere stereotyping is accurate for the biggest part.

Disappointed then? Does it make the movie less entertaining, or does the tone get too serious for you? This is primiarily a comedy but one which purposely provokes to discuss and to re-evaluate.

I don’t mean to slag you off, but you also mentinned that the serious undertone struck yo as annoying. Why? I thought that the meaning of satire (which mostly uses stereotyping) is to convey a serious message by way of humor; a relieving sort of humor which both ‘sides’ can laugh with. You clearly didn’t get the aim of this movie, which is a pity.

You can critisize the form of the movie and with that I do go along with you for the bigger part. We could also agree on that it didn’t achieve its full satirical effect, but the real meaning of movie stays obscure to you. It left you too puzzled because possibly your stance on this subject isn’t clear. That’s no problem, but you should try to make a solid point in your opinion about this provocative piece of film. You didn’t imo.

What I have trouble with is some of the jokes in the movie were purely meant (or at least to my humble opinon) to get the non-Moroccan-full-of-prejudices people on their hand. Like the ET jokes… I think that is too easy…

I know many Moroccans in all kinds of jobs so that is not the thing that troubles me. What worries me that this is a dangerous movie for the people who are already full of prejudices. Like believing all Moroccans have arranged marriages and it is okay for a Moroccan guy to hit his sister (I am sorry but I have read several reports in news papers but also from my own experience) that some guys started shouting and clapping at that scene…

So what my main worry is: it increases the stereotypes and prejudices and at the same time tries to me completely light-hearted about it. Read the Volkskrant Magazine from 2 weekends ago… It will be so much harder for Moroccan youngsters to fight the prejudices as portrayed in this movie…

Come on there are SO many examples: a guys tries to find an honest job and after 1 day he quits and goes into crime again. A girl runs away from home because she has to agree to an arranged marriage. Girls go to school and take off their cloths (what do you call them in English), the three main Moroccan male characters are all into crime. Only the older brother is a policeman. The parents of Ab hardly speak Dutch at all and hardly leave the house. Do I need to go on about this?

You may disagree with my opions but I refuse to accept I didn’t GET the movie… and I am not just saying this out of pride or stubborness…

If you wish to elaborate on this, start a topic in the group or send me an email (dutch). This is a movie site and we should not lengthyly discuss these kind of topics here.

Too bad some of the actors couldn’t act though. Winston Gerschtanowitz, Bridget Maasland and Touriya Haoud were particularly bad…

Besides, the maker of this movie shows that Moroccans can look more humorously against, what Dutch autochthonous people call, ‘failed integration’. When the ‘natives’ see Moroccans, they see problems. That’s why I think it is refreshing that, of all people, a Moroccan film maker ridicules it.

This movie also let see how young Moroccan always have to choose between the traditional values at home and the more progressive values from the Dutch society. They have to come up to different expectations, and struggle with it. Who wouldn’t? I think this movie contributes to the issues Moroccan boys and girls have nowadays. This doesn’t justify the fact that Ab breaks open containers, steals a scooter from a child and hits his sister. I think the viewer has to see this in a broader perspective (and I hope he/she can).

Especially the ending of the movie was sad. In the sixties, a lot of immigrants from Morocco en Turkey, came here to hunt fortune. The worked very hard and always thought: ‘some day, I will go home’. Some day became 20 or 30 years. They didn’t integrate, because they hadn’t to, and therefore they were casted out by the Dutch society. They only ‘profit’ they had from their stay in the Netherlands is that they can afford the biggest grave in their native village in Morocco.

I talked to a movie reviewer I know about Shouf this afternoon and we agreed… my opinon is not about being politically correct… I can distinguish facts from fiction and I can laugh about stereotypes. That is not the problem with Shouf. What I have trouble with is -with all do respect- stupid people seeing this movie and BELIEVING this is what Moroccan culture is about and NOT seeing these are sterotypes meant to be funny…