Mother Valley

"Mother Valley" is a film that I've been keeping my eye on for a while now and I finally had the chance to watch it this week! I went with very low expectations and came out of the theater extremely satisfied. "Mother Valley" follows Layla, a young mother and model wife, who seeks solace in a remote village while her sisters, Eva and Nada, challenge societal norms and reject arranged marriages during the wedding season amidst Lebanon's 1958 civil war. 

I'm going to keep this review short and sweet since I have few to say about this great film. What makes this movie so damn good is its drama and great writing. The film excels in its excellent drama and great writing as well as its cast. On that thought, I have to praise this ensemble cast! They were phenomenal but who stole the show was Marilynne Naaman with her masterful and powerful performance. She is the soul of the film and without her, the film would have had a lesser impact. Of course, no film is perfect and this film does have one problem. Clocking at 83 minutes, the film does feel overstuffed. I would have loved it if the film focused more on the tensions between the family since this is where it excels. 

Finally, I have to talk about the gorgeous cinematography here. Everything from the color palette used to the framing of each shot was visually pleasing. It screams Lebanon 1958 and I couldn't be any happier. In conclusion, I would absolutely recommend watching "Mother Valley" as it is an exceptionally well-realized drama!