Traitors

It's been ages since I enjoyed an "art film", and one with subtitles no less! But, Malika the lead singer of a Clash-inspired punk band, and, Amal the world-weary drug mule she befriends, will have you rooting for the underdogs. These type of films tend to be in-your-face affairs, but not this one. Traitors is enlivened with as much warmth as it is with grit. Bravo!

I almost stopped watching because I was not in the mood for subtitles, but then Malika, the lead character, came on the screen and I fell in love with her immediately. Very rarely have I run into a character that just draws me in like this one. She's young and courageous. The scenery was incredible, and the story was simply good. If I were the crew, I'd be very proud of this movie.

I approached this 2012 film from the music angle as the trailer shows an all-girl punk rock band (The title of the film comes from the band's name : "Traitors" - "not"The Traitors" says one member early in the film.. And, yes, that's how it starts. The Tangier-based band wants to get a recording contract. All they need is the money to buy studio time. That's all of the plot I'll give you because -if you've read my other reviews on Amazon, you know I hate "spoilers". I will say the rock music fills only the first 10 minutes of the film, so don't let that dissuade you from watching it. As I learned from the bios included as "special features" on the DVD, the New York trained director - Sean Guilette, who now resides in Tangier - made this film first as a 30 minute short. It got good response and he expanded it to the current 83-minute length. (As a nice touch Film Movement - the releasing company - has included the 30 minute version as a bonus. There is also what is called "Behind The Scenes Footage" which is really hand held raw footage of filming of some scenes with no narration). There's lots of excitement in the film as you are drawn to the ban's leader - with a face you will remember long after the film ends. I'm not sure I fully accepted the conclusion to the film (hence the 4 stars) but I enjoyed being taken (literally) for a ride as the band leader tries to get the money the band needs. The subtitles provided in English are easy to read . I hope you found this review both informative and helpful. Steve Ramm "Anything Phonographic"

Great

I wish I could get my money back , this was on my watchlist . Can't remember however you should keep your foreign movies separate from regular films. Not into reading movies to distracting from watching the picture. Nothing against it I'm just not into reading a whole movie.

This Moroccan film is set in Tangiers; we meet Malika who is the lead singer of an all girl punk band `Traitors'. They have an interesting homage to the Clash in `I'm so bored with Morocco'. Then they get the chance of a record deal, but the catch is they have to make their own demo and pay for the studio time. Being young they are all a bit light on money and all feel something will come up. Malika then meets a wheelchair bound drug crim in Samir. He makes her a lucrative offer, but she will need to drive a consignment of drugs from the factory to the port. After some reluctance she accepts. Once committed she is partnered up with a worn out drug mule and they are set on their way. What started out as a means to get some extra cash takes on a whole new meaning once Malika realises what she is dealing with. This is a film from American director Sean Gullette and he has given us a crime based Moroccan film that avoids a lot of clichés in terms of car chases etc. We also have a woman lead who is far from conventional and Chaimae Ben Acha as Malika puts in a noteworthy performance. In Arabic, French and some English with good sub titles in English. This is a film where the plot is a simple one, but the fabric around it adds to the complexity and makes for a compelling and rewarding watch

I discovered this film via Film Movement. It starts slow, but hang on: about 30 minutes in, it gets very, very interesting. It becomes a taut, seat-gripping drama that will have you holding your breath and rooting for everything to turn out well for our protagonist, Malika, winningly played by newcomer Chaimae Ben Acha. The best scenes are the most intimate ones: that of Malika and jaded drug mule Amal (Soufia Issami). Writer/director Sean Gullette has us right in the car with these two as they embark on a risky trafficking journey. We see Mailka from Amal's front-seat perspective and vice versa. They've not met before being paired on this trip. You can feel the edginess and tension as they feel each other out. I especially loved Belgian actor Mourade Zeguendi as Samir. His hard exterior masks a soft heart for Amal...and for Malika as well. It's a brilliant acting job.

I saw this movie at the Tribeca Film Festival. The lead actress is fantastic, a real discovery, and the sense of place is wonderful. The music in the film is by the band Savages btw.