Whatever Lola Wants

I first watched this movie when it came out in Morocco, and I just loved it ! I've watched it a couple of times since, in English, and each time it just gets better. Nabil really managed to wrap up a great quality movie that goes beyond its center topic : Belly Dance, he pictured the shock between occidental and oriental cultures in a soft implicit way. Not to mention that he made a belly dancing movie for a general public in a way that the audience gets to know all this fabulous world through Lola, who's American and obviously an outsider like the target audience of the movie. I also loved it because It's just bold, I mean it's basically one of the first Arabic films ever made about belly dancing, giving the fact that it's a pretty controversial matter in oriental/Muslim countries, not to mention Youssef, who's probably the first openly gay character ever portrayed in an Arabic made movie. I couldn't help but notice a lot of similarities between Egypt and Morocco in the movie, some of them were pretty obvious (especially the clothing) so I guess a lot of scenes were shot down here. Anyways, to sum things up, this definitely is a must-watch movie, it's fun, entertaining and well made, but I fell like it has been really underrated for what it really is, I'm afraid not enough people have seen it, and that is truly a shame, so please, go watch it, you will not be disappointed, I promise !

Although i am partly Arab i rarely watch Arabic films. At the start, Whatever Lola Wants depicts its an Arabic film production and so i got back to my laptop. As it played in my DVD and my daughter watched, and to my utter surprise, in the 10 minutes back and forth between my laptop and the TV screen, i decided TV would win this time. I was so happy to see an exceptionally well made film that had Arab team and crew on board. A great production of the highest standards. A very good cast, colorful characters, several angels of the Arab society shown very tastefully. Really this movie is packed with cultural data, where there are common grounds between west and middle east and where there are divides in peoples minds. It kept my attention all through until the end. And what a beautiful ending. I would watch this movie twice. Thank you to all those involved in making this movie. I will surely recommend to my friends.

a young woman in Cairo. her unique experience. discover of vocation. and the grace of a special art conquest. the story and the acting are far to represent a surprise. virtues - the form of dream who becomes reality, the beauty of dance, Carmen Lebbos and Nadim Sawa in clothes of nuanced roles. than, the clash between civilization and the ambition to give not exactly roots but frame to story. Laura Ramsey explores each detail of her character and this fact gives necessary freshness to a pure American dream who is seed for self discover. a film of colors, music and emotions. nothing serious, nothing complicated. but surely nice.

Such a great movie that shows how beautiful and sensual egybt and oriental dancing is! Must see.

It was an average dance film, complete with romance issues, challenges that must be overcome and applauding happy end, but I couldn't help feel that somewhere in all that clueless blonde smiling permanent intrusion in other people's affairs there was something offensive. I don't know how Egyptians are, but I doubt that they are closeted Americans waiting to get out and express themselves to the detriment of all around.

The plot is that an aspiring New York dancer is pushed by circumstances to come to Egypt. She becomes the apprentice of a very good belly dancer and reaches tarab before the end of the movie.

Bottom line: there are some interesting items of fact about the Arab culture, especially when involving women, but the point of view is so extremely American that it felt fake. The dancer was cute, but she didn't strike me as very good, nor was she a good actress. While the film could inspire some people that are passionate about dancing, it has very few other good parts.