Hideous Kinky Reviewed - Movies - http://maxpages.com/xanadu/hideouskinky

4 Stars

Off-beat, original, and a masterpiece. That is Hideous Kinky in a nutshell. Kate Winslet was once an actress I held in contempt for that horrid movie Titanic. Since then, however, she has redeemed herself. Playing most notably, Ophelia in Branagh's Hamlet, and the delightfully sinful cousin in the adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel Jude (both of which done before Titanic, but seen be me afterwards). This movie is no exception. Here she plays an English expatriate living in Moracco. She has taken her two small children and the three of them live in poverty waiting on the next check from the children's careless father, who is a poet in England. As Winslet continues her neverending seach for inner enlightenment and her obsession with the sufi, she becomes as neglectful to the children as their father is. It is a tale about a woman who desires freedom, but is torn by responsibility (compare it to Kate Chopin's moving tale The Awakening for an interesting discussion).

Supporting Winslet is an excellent cast of unknows. Playing her love interest, Bilal, is Saïd Taghmaoui, who handles his role excellently. Perhaps most impressive are the two little girls. Older Bea, who just wants to be normal, is played by Bella Riza. Carrie Mullan is younger Lucy, who is still trying to understand what her wild life means.

Director Gillies MacKinnon does a wonderful job of portraying the foreign landscape and capturing the overall feel of Moracco. Based on the novel by Esther Freud (yes, she is in the direct lineage of old Siggy) this movie is not a typical flick, which is what makes it so nice. A refreshing break from the typical Hollywood movie, this may be the best movie the world never saw. What a shame. Don't miss out on it like most of the rest of the world.

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Page Updated Wed May 3, 2000 3:41am EDT