The Yacoubian Building [2005] [DVD]

One of the most watchable Egyptian Movies. This excellent black drama is a must see despite its nearly three-hour running time, the movie is one of the most watchable and enjoyable pieces of art in Egyptian Cinema. I didn't read the story before seeing that controversial movie, so I had low expectations. But despite that, got hooked as early as the quality intro that takes you smoothly through an enjoyable ride to discover the background behind that nostalgic building in central Cairo through a Sepia short clip. The film is an artistic black drama which is full of cultural and political symbolism if you read carefully between the lines, my interpretation is that the building is a clear symbol of the country itself and how it transformed dramatically from the nostalgic early days of the 40s till the present day, shedding light on the price that the Egyptian society had to pay during that rough trip, and how the society has clear double standards that everyone is trying to ignore.

Every side story evolves in a different direction and involves controversial characters who are linked only by the same building (society) in some way or the other, the different stories are interweaved in an artistic way to dramatize different controversial issues and taboos from adultery, political corruption, homosexuality to Islamic fundamentalism.

The movie has a general sad feel around it especially for anyone who lived in Egypt as it touches on the deterioration and many negative issues that are becoming more and more the norm in most Egyptian society levels that was once a conservative and religious society.

It is strong wakeup call to those who love their country to stop burying their heads in the sand when it comes to double standards that's affecting everyone in the society making everyone feel inferior to the country. The story could make you think deeply about how and why a country like Egypt could end up where it is today.

The cinematography, steady cams, crane camera movement is brilliant, the smooth cuts and soft transitions boosts the romantic dimension of the storyline. As expected, the music score by Khaled Hammad is expressive, romantic and adds a lot of depth to many scenes. The tempo of the movie is just right, giving enough time for actors to express their feelings through longer than usual shots that will never leave you bored. Action scenes are also very well done.

A must see piece of art for anyone who is living or used to live in Egypt.

this is a movie that deals with very sensitive issues in the Arabic society of Egypt. Corruption, homosexuality, adultery, drug trade, are the main issues that are dealt with. Yacoubian building is the place that symbolizes the modern society, which is reflected by certain types of individuals, the Basha, who has a noble family name, and is unaware of his reality any more and cannot find himself anywhere except in bed with different women, and with bottles of wine. The character is played excellently by Adel Imam, one of Egypt's best superstar actors. Then we have the highly successful journalist, who leads one of Egypt's most successful news papers, he has the money, has everything, but his sexuality is his downfall, as he turns out to be homosexual, and tries hard not to give this image about himself, he is always in a struggle, which eventually leads to his demise. Then we have the car dealer, a multi-millionaire who tries to show himself as a virtuous man, but he is a symbol of corruption, and a drug dealer who does not stop from doing anything to keep his business going. There are many other types of individuals, each has his story to tell, and each is a part of the building, that combine all these strange cases together.
Now, the themes themselves are very sensitive issues in the Arabic society, and you hardly find a movie that deals so blatantly with ideas like homosexuality for instance, as it is highly taboo. This is an advantage in the favor of this movie. The acting is excellent, the movie combines a great selection of Egypt's star actors. What I did not like about it, is that sometimes it does get repetitive, and it tends to exaggerate things in order to achieve credibility.
The ending is good, not unexpected, but still interesting. I think it has been a while since I have seen such a good Egyptian movie, which at some points is disturbing, and gets you thinking. I think you have to watch this movie, it is quite good.

This movie is an amazing portrayal of the hypocrisy and corruption that many countries suffer from. It follows the lives of different individuals who happen to live in different parts of the same apartment building. It shows some tenants basking in wealth, while others, who live on the roof, live a life of poverty.