Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- warm
- hopeful
- lazy sunday
- international cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film instantly likable and charming, praising its humane characters and performances while recognizing its socially incisive comedy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Selma returns to Tunis after ten years in Paris and must renegotiate family, professional, and cultural expectations.
Selma's attempt to establish a psychotherapy practice turns individual patients' concerns into a portrait of Tunisian social life.
Selma builds a talking-cure practice despite skepticism, paperwork obstacles, and resistance from relatives and officials.
Obtaining the necessary papers to legally operate Selma's practice is presented as a confusing bureaucratic circus.
Films like Arab Blues, and why
The Visitor
warm culture-clash comedy about returning home, community, and a determined woman challenging social conventions
The Man Who Sold His Skin
character-driven Tunisian social comedy blending gentle humor, self-discovery, and resistance to institutional pressures
The Full Monty
witty, humane ensemble comedy about social change and a newcomer navigating entrenched community expectations
Movie Details
- Director
- Manele Labidi
- Release Date
- 2020-02-12
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (252)
Cast
- Golshifteh Farahani
- Hichem Yacoubi
- Majd Mastoura
- Aïsha Ben Miled
- Ramla Ayari
- Fériel Chammari
- Najoua Zouhair
- Jamel Sassi
- Rim Hamrouni
- Mhadheb Rmili
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Arab Blues about?
- A Paris-trained psychotherapist returns to Tunis and confronts family pressure, bureaucratic absurdity, and social taboos while trying to create a community around talking therapy.
- What is Arab Blues like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Arab Blues as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Arab Blues violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Arab Blues.
- What did critics think of Arab Blues?
- Critics broadly found the film instantly likable and charming, praising its humane characters and performances while recognizing its socially incisive comedy.
- Which films are like Arab Blues?
- Films with a similar feel include The Visitor, The Man Who Sold His Skin, and The Full Monty.
- How long is Arab Blues?
- Arab Blues runs 88 minutes.
- Where can I watch Arab Blues?
- In United States, Arab Blues is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
