288. Arifa; movie review

ARIFA
Cert 15
90 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language

I sometimes wonder about the relative difficulties of getting a movie distribution deal in the UK regions by comparison to London.
For example, would a low-key piece about a young woman's unexceptional life have been given the green light if it had been centred on Sheffield, Newcastle, Bristol or Cardiff?
The movie industry, in common with the national TV stations' news coverage, favours the capital and consequently, themes are repeated.
So, here's another tale of a young woman who is struggling with issues of identity created by her family background while also yearning for romance.
To be fair, Shermin Hassan convinces as the title character who, after a brief high, suffers a series of let-downs by those closest to her.
Her workplace is sullied by the presence of her thoughtless first boyfriend and then her head is briefly turned by an exotic stranger (Luca Pusceddu).
And then there is her lazy bootlegger father (Jeff Mirza) who demands loyalty from her but gives nothing in return.
Sadia Saeed says her film is partly autobiographical and it does appear to give an accurate reflection of a young woman trying to find herself.
Unfortunately, Arifa's life is rather dull and nothing translates worse to the big to even small screen than humdrum.
The more she tries to break out of her rut, the more she is being stifled from every angle.
On the plus side, I want to see more of Hassan and will be interested when she is challenged to do more than be perpetually brassed off with everyone around her.
And the additional Brucie bonus was that Arifa offered plenty of evidence why I was right not to drag my family to London.

Reasons to watch: The twenty-something London set might get it
Reasons to avoid: The neediness of its central character

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? Arifa's soundtrack is by Mike Lindup - a founder member of Level 42 who sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and is still going strong.

The final word. Sadia Saeed: "While showcasing Arifa at film festivals, a question that comes up often is whether the film is autobiographical. I would say, while it draws from personal experience, it is an example of tribal storytelling and is a character-study."

Share this post