Caramel

Critics Consensus

Caramel is both an astute cultural study, and a charming comedic drama from a talented newcomer.

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Caramel Photos

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Movie Info

A Beirut beauty salon serves as a microcosm of modern society in director Nadine Labaki's look at liberated conversation in a conflicted society. Over the course of their day it becomes readily apparent that women are truly the same everywhere, regardless of the society they live in. While single Layale struggles with her growing attraction to a married man, Muslim bride-to-be Nisrine fears that her husband will find out that she has already lost her virginity, and Rima wages a futile war against her lesbian instincts. As with many women who frequent the salon, Jamale does everything within her power to reverse the visible effects of aging. As Rose laments the fact that she has sacrificed her own happiness in order to care for her older sister, the intimate conversations shared over the course of a typical day reveal just how universal the lives, loves, and concerns of contemporary women truly are.

Rating:

PG (for thematic elements involving sexuality, language and some smoking)
Genre:

Comedy, Drama, Romance
Written By:

Rodney Al Haddad, Jihad Hojeily, Rodney El Haddad
In Theaters:

Feb 1, 2008 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Jun 17, 2008
Box Office:

$1,000,000
Runtime:

95 minutes
Studio:

Roadside Attractions

Cast

Yasmine Al Masri
as Nisrine

Adel Karam
as Youssef

Gisèle Aouad
as Jamale

Dimitri Stancofski

Fadia Stella

Ismaïl Antar

News & Interviews for Caramel

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Critic Reviews for Caramel

All Critics (78) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (72) | Rotten (6)

Labaki, who co-wrote the film and also stars, maintains a knowing comic tone throughout.

Sep 19, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…

Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
Top Critic
Wistful tale of friendship and solidarity.

Apr 4, 2008 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Craig Outhier
Miami Herald
Top Critic
Delightful.

Apr 4, 2008 | Full Review…

Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
Top Critic
Labaki elicits expressive performances from a cast of amateurs, aided by Khalad Mouzanar's entrancing score and Yves Sehnaoui's lush cinematography.

Mar 28, 2008 | Full Review…

Andrea Gronvall
Chicago Reader
Top Critic
Perceptive and poignant, Caramel observes the love lives of the establishment's owner, her employees and their customers.

Mar 28, 2008 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Bill Stamets
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic
There's a pleasant, easygoing charm to Caramel, largely stemming from Labaki's rare determination to depict Beirut as something other than a war-torn, slowly recovering battleground.

Mar 27, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4

Tasha Robinson
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic
Utterly inconsequential but completely lovely, and is a strong first film for Labaki as a director.

Jul 6, 2019 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Matthew Lucas
From the Front Row
Caramel is sweet, but it's never sickly, and it never shies away from how these women have to work round what society has planned for them.

Aug 23, 2018 | Full Review…

Deborah Ross
The Spectator
Extraordinary showpiece of the beauty of Lebanese cinema. [Full review in Spanish]

Mar 16, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Laura Hiros
Rincón de cine
Caramel doesn't have any geopolitical pretensions. It just wants to show that beauty and friendship are universal.

Aug 17, 2017 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Julie Washington
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Caramel is filled with more dignity, class, and realism than a Sex and the City could ever muster.

Mar 5, 2014 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Matthew Pejkovic
Matt's Movie Reviews
A chick flick form Lebanon, this film has some charm

Jul 30, 2011 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

View All Critic Reviews (78)

Audience Reviews for Caramel

Mar 18, 2014

Despite the unrealistically attractive cast, perhaps excessive oestrogen and its deliberate angling to an international audience - I thoroughly enjoyed this film! Doesn't hurt that I watched it with two girlfriends in our room in a monastery in Bsharre, northern Lebanon. Nadine Labaki executes her multiple love stories with wryly humorous dialogue and surprising sensitivity and gently challenges the viewer with a light twist on familiar tropes. I sorely needed this contemporary view to break my stereotypes of Arab countries, and along the way found it an interesting critique of the lack of private spaces for young women in Lebanon. And Joanna Moukarzel has some pipes on her! Bottom line: If you want to watch a film about Lebanon that doesn't involve war, "Caramel" is a moving, laugh-out-loud funny comedy with plenty of eye candy.

Letitia L Super Reviewer
Dec 06, 2009

With a cast of strong female characters, each with their own story, this is a chick-flick of sorts.. but not over-the-top or in-your-face. Set in Beirut, <i>Caramel</i> touches on cultural and religious traditions but interests you with the predominant themes of love and friendship in its individual forms. I liked the backdrop, humour and overall found this movie quite touching.

♥ Chani L Super Reviewer
May 03, 2009

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i31.tinypic.com/1znn3nm.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> When I got Caramel recommended I was sceptical, maybe I won't like, because it handle some issues that I was not interested in. But I am glad I watched, it was such an enjoyable movie. It was a story of five women who are all connected through life in a beauty shop.It mostly focuses on sisterhood, homosexuality, adultery, religion and love.I would recommend this movie to anyone because it was heartwarming and funny. Any woman would be able to see themselves in at least one of these women in this movie. Was worth watching.

Daisy M Super Reviewer
Jan 06, 2009

Saw this around the same time as Sex and the City and there's no comparison, except for the group of women and their trials and tribulations looking for, keeping and losing love. It's so much more subtle, beautiful, heartfelt and the Beirut setting with its intensity, culture and repression makes it all the more poignant. The one who becomes someone she's not for her man annoys me, but the old woman, lesbian and the main character are all wonderful. Sweet without being saccharine, luscious without being heavy, sensual without being dirty. Simply gorgeous.

Sarah B Super Reviewer