The Perfect Candidate

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2:04

The Perfect Candidate

2021

1h 41m

Drama

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

83 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

When Maryam, a hardworking young doctor in a small-town clinic, is prevented from flying to Dubai for a conference without a male guardian's approval, she seeks help from a politically connected cousin but inadvertently registers as a candidate for the municipal council. Maryam sees the election as a way to fix the muddy road in front of her clinic, but her campaign slowly garners broader appeal.

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Critics Consensus

A message movie admirable for its subtlety as well as its execution, The Perfect Candidate faces oppression and powerfully advocates for change.

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Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (LAist)

05/21/2021

It really liked it. It's not a doom and gloom movie -- it's about "how can you use your influence?"

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Claudia Puig

FilmWeek (LAist)

05/21/2021

What I appreciated about this was the subtleties -- she's doing things in small victories.

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Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

05/19/2021

3/4

Mansour gives audiences a candid, often wryly amusing glimpse of life inside the Saudi kingdom, which is so often cloaked in opacity and menace.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

10/14/2024

4/5

…a real return to form for the writer/director Haifaa Al Mansou, a simple and effective drama that makes a succinct point; why should anyone accept living in a skewed, unfair world when we have the power to make a better one?…

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Annlee Ellingson

CineWomen

07/29/2024

Seven years after Haifaa al-Mansour filmed Wadjda, the first feature shot entirely in ... Saudi Arabia, she returns with The Perfect Candidate, a movie that demonstrates how much has changed in the Arab country — and how much has stayed the same.

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Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

03/01/2023

A-

With The Perfect Candidate, she has made some rumbles but puts on a perfect platform for the rights of women in such a restrictive country for the modern century.

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kdd

05/17/2021

I loved the movie! A chance to get a glimpse of Saudi society. Very nicely done. Well acted, nice music and touching.

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David H

05/16/2021

Terrific screenplay showing family conflict, personal growth, cultural/religious background, and political dynamics. The basic story is about the eldest daughter in a family of Saudi musicians who has become an MD because she has stagefright, and who signs up to be a candidate for the rural municipal council as an offhand byproduct of trying to get a computer error corrected so she can have permission to leave the Kingdom and attend a conference in Dubai that will give her a chance for a job in Riyadh that will get her out of the anti-woman bias at her local medical clinic. On top of everything else, the film gently satirizes modern political campaigning.

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dave d

10/03/2021

I wanted to like 'The Perfect Candidate' much more than I did, but it's all too often unfocused and wandering. There's a subplot here that sometimes engulfs the film. When on track and focused on the titular character, this Saudi Arabian feature is best. There are quite a few cliche moments, in this female empowerment story. Final Score: 5/10

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06/12/2021

Well worth watching. Well paced, humourus and interesting insight into (some) women's lives in the ME. Great performance from the leading lady.

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01/29/2021

A subtle, yet steadfast account of the types of oppression being challenged and overcome by women like Haifaa Al-Mansour. Her characters are likeable, with the family and their lives being relatable. Its approach isn't about drama or high levels of tension, but instead focusses on the everyday lives of people

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Haifaa Al-Mansour

Director

Mila Al Zahrani

Dr. Maryam Alsafan

Dae Al Hilali

Selma

Nora Al Awadh

Sara

Khalid Abdulraheem

Abdulaziz

Shafi Alharthy

Mohammed

The Perfect Candidate: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When Maryam, a hardworking young doctor in a small-town clinic, is prevented from flying to Dubai for a conference without a male guardian's approval, she seeks help from a politically connected cousin but inadvertently registers as a candidate for the municipal council. Maryam sees the election as a way to fix the muddy road in front of her clinic, but her campaign slowly garners broader appeal.

Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Producer: Haifaa Al-Mansour, Gerhard Meixner, Brad Niemann, Roman Paul
Screenwriter: Haifaa Al-Mansour, Brad Niemann
Distributor: Music Box Films
Production Co: Razor Film Produktion GmbH, Al Mansour Est. for Audiovisual Media, NDR
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Arabic
Release Date (Theaters): May 14, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 10, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $28.8K
Runtime: 1h 41m
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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