I Shouldn't Have Read The Reviews Before Viewing
Added 11/12/2009
I bought this DVD for a friend, but couldn't resist giving it a viewing before I gave it away. (She'll never know.) I expected to see friendship and a coming together of cultures. It's what I got. I have a daughter, about the age of the two central characters, so I was viewing the film from the perspective of a father. I enjoyed the film, thoroughly. Certainly, it has its warts, but it's a very enjoyable film; very feel good. My daughter, who is a teacher, felt the film was a bit of a pollyanna.
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Good teaching film
Added 11/2/2009
This is a very well done small-budget film about relationships between religions. It emphasizes the things the two have in common more than the differences.
Schools might find it a useful film to use to explain cultural differences and similarities as it tells the story of two young women teachers, one Jewish Orthodox and one Muslim. The two young women find their differences are minor and their similar conservative attitudes make them bind together to deal with their own lives and their jobs helping their students learn. Both are being helped by their families in a search for the right husband and both have similar problems with choosing. Inter-cultural relationships among the men in their lives are also shown in passing as the brother of the Muslim girl is in a study-group at his university with a young Jewish Orthodox man.
The film will probably appeal more to girls/women than to boys/men.
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Full of giggles
Added 11/1/2009
My roommate and I giggled throughout the whole film; cultural differences aside, everyone can relate to overbearing mothers, going on blind dates, embarassing family dinners and clueless bosses. It was a delight to watch.
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A Story of Affirmation
Added 10/17/2009
An understated yet wonderful gem -- all the more impressive in light of its having been filmed in a mere 17 days!
This story -- of a warm friendship that develops between two women of very different religions yet not-so-different hearts and circumstances -- avoids so many wrong paths that lesser films might have (and all too often have indeed) taken. On the one hand, it does not romanticize sincere devotion as an always clear or comfortable path; and it vividly portrays both the humour and the frustration a younger generation may experience in receiving guidance from its elders. On the other hand, it does not condemn or even trivialize 'conservative' adherence to such beliefs and traditions.
I especially appreciated one episode involving a party, in which a young woman's reaction, to things so many today would consider normal social activity, is depicted neither as self-righteousness nor as weakness nor even as temptation-barely-avoided. She simply does not find that world attractive. Indeed, far more of us understand her aversion than most of the entertainment industry usually recognizes. And when, later, she does pointedly 'take a stand', it is against someone whose pride in being more 'worldly' and 'sophisticated' was what had proved the REAL self-righteousness.
Ultimately, however, this is a story of affirmation, and a film both charming and fun. The two central roles are played out perfectly -- blending humour, angst, intelligence, and 'spunk' in a way that is utterly believable. These are women you would want to know, women who could become anything they choose ... and who succeed in doing so.
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Heartwarming, Realistic, Educational
Added 10/16/2009
As an intercultural diversity trainer, I found Arranged to be an excellent example of a contemporary coming together of different cultural groups that resulted in an understanding of unique differences and a celebration of what the main characters had in common. I highly recommend this film. Nice job!!
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