Wadjda made me feel overwhelming ignorant about Saudi Arabian society as it relates to women. Going into the movie, my understanding extended as far as "Women are treated horribly in Muslim theocracies." It's a broad evaluation, and while it's not wrong, it's a disservice to overlook the details. The beauty of Wadjda is that it's always observing these details but never losing sight of its plucky, endearing protagonist. Lead by a terrific performance from young actress Waad Mohammed, director Haifaa al-Mansour has directed a minor miracle of a movie. The fact that it even exists is remarkable, but rather than resting on the laurels of its creation, we get an inside look that goes beyond a culture curiosity. Wadjda (Mohammed) desperately wants a bicycle so she can race her friend Abudullah (Abdullrahman Algohani), but not only does she lack the money to buy it, a woman riding a bike is frowned upon. Her home life is also rocky as her mother (Reem Abdullah) struggles to keep a job since she needs a male driver to get there, and her husband (Sultan Al Assaf) is looking to marry a second wife so he can have a son. Since her mother refuses to buy the bike, Wadjda enters her school's Koran necessitation competition so she can get the bicycle herself. The film is a wonderful example of illustration by contrast. Al-Mansour quickly establishes Wadjda as a rebel with a shot of her sneakers with purple laces, and even though the young girl is a ...
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