Occidental

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bill p Treading a well balanced line between surrealism and acute psychological portrayals Occidental entertains and provokes with gentle humour and satire. Viewing feels like being the audience at a play in a theatre - the hotel in which the film is set feels like a theatre set, and this artifice is enhanced by the use of strange a block like shape to the film on the screen. The characters and their surroundings are reminiscent of a seventies cop dramas, and when the cops do arrive, three of them, they have raincoats and leather jackets to increase the odd period feel. And outside a riot is going on. Occasionally a scene change happens via a switch to a different CCTV camera in the hotel, so that the feeling of being an audience eavesdropping on the goings on is increased. Even when the camera tracks in or out for a closer or more distant shot the movement is hesitant as if it were a CCTV camera being focussed by an inexperienced hand. The hapless boss of the hotel is trying to assert her authority over both her staff and the guests. The plot such as it is hinges around her suspicions of the two Brazilian guys who have taken the bridal suite and paid cash up front. She may or may not know one of them. We are never given too much explanation ï¿ 1/2" there are no ah ha moments of plot realisation but Beloufa keeps enough intelligibility to maintain a sense of suspense throughout. At the same time the film maintains a satirical humorous take on all the characters. Race and nationality are underlying sources of humour and tension. A nice touch was that the only stereotyping was of white characters with a group of drunken Brits aboard. And even that was quite subtly played as the stag in the stag group is manhandled and carried and supported whenever they are on camera, but is obviously too drunk to speak or participate. Overall itï¿ 1/2(TM)s a fun set piece with uneasy undertones giving it a slight edge, the confusion of the demonstration and rioting outside matching the tension inside, both understandable in a general way: why wouldn't we demonstrate at the state of things, but unexplained in detail. Well worth seeing. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Occidental

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