It’s been a long, long time since I walked out of a movie. Yesterday, I watched 20 minutes of Sabah, then got up and left. I had high hopes for this Canadian project, produced by Atom Egoyan. Instead, it was amateur hour–like watching a Canadian movie from 1982. The direction was simplistic, the editing profoundly awful and the script tired, awkward and predictable. The performances ranged from adequate in the leading roles to truly shameful in the smaller ones.
Here’s the plot summary from IMDB:
One day, when Sabah least expects it, she falls in love with the wrong man. She’s Muslim, he’s not. Unbeknownst to her family, she goes on a whirlwind affair before both culture and love collide.
What’s this? Star-crossed lovers? Their families don’t approve? I can’t imagine where I’ve seen that before. Unfortunately, first-time writer and director Ruba Nadda brought zero originality to this well-told story. At least, there was zero originality in the first twenty minutes.
And things had really been looking up for Canadian cinema. The past five years have seen a number of really great, original Canadian films like The Barbarian Invasions, Wilby Wonderful and Ararat. I tried to determine if Sabah received any public funding. If it did, I’m going to write some letters.
I could be wrong. The film could really improve after the 20-minute mark. I’m not optimistic, though, in light of Ken Eisner’s review in the Georgia Straight:
“Ultimately, the filmmaker shoves her pieces into place with a very predictable hand: she scrupulously follows the dictum that if a movie centres on sisters, there will be dancing in the kitchen.”
DarrenBarefoot.com 
Whenever I see Atom Egoyan’s name – it’s a red flag to avoid a film in my book.
I’ve never enjoyed anything he has been involved with – Unless he had something to do with Kissed (starring Molly Parker) and I’m pretty sure he didn’t.
But I also loathed The Barbarian Invasions – so I may have more of an aversion to Can films that I realize.
Jeff: I’d disagree on Egoyan. I thought ‘The Sweet Hereafter’ and ‘Exotica’ were great Canadian films.
I should have also mentioned ‘Marion Bridge’ and ‘Men with Brooms’ as recent quality Canadian movies.
Yes, we disagree.
I thought Men With Brooms was terrible. Same for Exotica which I found very dissapointing and sluggishly paced.
I have not seen hereafter or bridge, so I am admittedly limited in content for comment.
But I thought Shakespeare themes were universal…
Is it necessarily a bad thing to make predictable films? Just because some people don’t like them (me included) doesn’t mean that there aren’t people who enjoy them and to whom they make sense.
Public funding goes to places like the Arts Club, The Playhouse, and Bard on the Beach and I have seen some horribly executed projects there that others seem to enjoy.
Shane: Predictability is my personal pet peeve, and goes a long way to determining whether I’ll enjoy a film (play, book, album, etc) or not. I love art that surprises me, and I’m not alone in this regard.
As for ‘Sabah’, lack of originality was merely one of a whole range of sins.
shane said:
“Public funding goes to places like the arts club ….. that others seem to enjoy.”
my own impression is that these places have attained a niche funding inertia which is sustaining but essentially inartistic. so i don’t go.
Wilby Wonderful and New Waterford Girl are both great examples of the best of Canadian cinema. I haven’t seen Men with Brooms yet, but from what I’ve been told it’s pretty good. Plus, it was filmed in the curling club I curled at this past winter 🙂