Watches
May 11, 2022
Even though I didn't connect with pretty much anything in this film, the title sure spoke to me. A visit to Alexandria was by far the worst bit of vacation I've experienced so far, but that's not really what this film is about. It's my fourth Chahine, also the worst of his I've seen so far.
The film is set in Alexandria, during WWII. Yehia is a young boy growing up in the city. He is smitten with American culture and media, and loves nothing more than to go to the cinema and watch American movies. So much in fact that he wants to become an actor, but his social stature doesn't really allow him to become one.
The performances are pretty weak, the cinematography felt bland and the story didn't really appeal to me. There was nothing to get me hooked, the overly long runtime only made it worse. Not that I was the biggest Chahine fan alive, but his other films felt more inspired to me.