In his second feature film, director Ziad Doueiri (WEST BEIRUT) takes on themes of race, religion, youth, and sexual bravado. Based on a controversial novel purported to be a... more
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LILA SAYS
Chimo is an Arab living in Marseille, a self-described loser intent on hanging around with
... more
his slacker friends instead of pursuing his talent as a writer. But when Lila--a 16-year-old Catholic seductress--moves into the ghetto with her crazy, perverted...
Actor(s): Vahin Giocante, Mohammed Khouas, Karim Ben Haddou, Carmen Lebbos, Lofti Chakri
Director(s): Ziad Doueiri
Genre: Drama
Classification: 18 years and over
Production Year: 2005
Consumer Advice: Contains strong sex, sex references and very strong language
Video Category: World Cinema Feature Film
Country Of Origin: France
Plot: Chimo is an Arab living in Marseille, a self-described loser intent on hanging around with his slacker friends instead of pursuing his talent as a writer. But when Lila--a 16-year-old Catholic seductress--moves into the ghetto with her crazy, perverted aunt, she stirs something in Chimo and his community with her angelic face, blonde hair, and impressively lewd language...
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): LIONS GATE HOME ENTERTAINMENT; ELEVATION SALES; TECHNICOLOR DISTRIBUTION SERVICES
Release date: 11/06/2007
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: 9382701000
Barcode: 5060052411624
Languages
Main Language: French
Subtitle Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Making of featurette
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital
Professional reviews
Review: As sweet as it is dirty (Washington Post, 19/04/2007)
DVD Description
In his second feature film, director Ziad Doueiri (WEST BEIRUT) takes on themes of race, religion, youth, and sexual bravado. Based on a controversial novel purported to be a 19-year-old Arab's actual diary, this hormonally charged coming-of-age story is set in a dingy, ethnically mixed slum of post-9/11 Marseilles. When we meet Chimo, he is a self-described loser intent on hanging around with his slacker friends instead of pursuing his talent as a writer. But when Lila--a 16-year-old Catholic seductress--moves into the ghetto with her crazy, perverted aunt, she stirs something in Chimo and his depressing community with her angelic face, blonde hair, and impressively lewd language. While Lila will do no more than taunt the rest of the local men with her assets, she singles out Chimo and initiates him into a world filled with sexual desire. In fact, it is on their very first meeting that Lila offers Chimo a peak up her skirt, an invitation made even more appealing by her proclivity for not wearing underwear. By turning a thing as simple and seemingly innocent as a bike ride into a sexual escapade, Lila helps Chimo to see the world in a new way. As Chimo narrates his way through Lila's relentless advances and elaborate sexual fantasies, tension between him and his friends builds to a chilling, inevitable climax that reveals everyone's true colours. From one of its strangely breathtaking opening shots (the camera pans upward as the gloomy alley between two soiled apartment buildings is interrupted by a clothesline's bright hues) to its last, LILA SAYS draws the viewer in with camerawork as seductive and beautiful as its title character.
Advantages: Absolutely none. Disadvantages: Inane dialogue, poor character developement.
...Director: Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly
Screenplay: Scot Armstrong & Leslie Dixon
Genre: Comedy - Romance
Country: USA
Certification: 15+
Language: English
Released: 4th February, 2008 (DVD)
MAIN CAST:
Ben Stiller (Eddie Cantrow)
Malin Akerman (Lila)
Michelle Monaghan (Miranda)
Jerry Stiller (Doc)
Rob Corddry (Mac)
Carlos Mencia (Uncle Tito)
40-year-old Eddie Cantrow can't seem to find the perfect woman. His ideal woman, needless to say, would be too good for him, but this never crosses his mind. His father, a coarse and speak-your-mind type of man, is constantly harassing him with the 'M' word - marriage... and a few other words too, but CIAO wouldn't be pleased if I inserted them here!
Anyways... when Eddie meets Lila, a beautiful and sexy woman who appears to meet his woman-criteria expectations, he decides...
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Advantages: Some really funny points Disadvantages: The movie is just too long
...the past and ridiculous bungling mistakes prevent him from moving forward. After attending a legendarily bad wedding of an old flame in which he seemed to be continually ridiculed Eddie walks home dismayed at his lot. But when he witnesses a woman being mugged things start to look up. This chance encounter with Lila (Malin Ackerman) starts to turn things round, Lila seems like the ideal woman; and in a heartbeat the two are not only dating, but married.
But the problems start with marriage, as Eddie discovers that her constant singing and bizarre sexual demands are too much for him. He soon realises that he has in fact married a nutcase, and worse still as the pair "enjoy" their honeymoon Eddie discovers he acted to quickly and that the woman of his dreams is not only still out there, but in the very hotel they are staying in.
The Heartbreak...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Struglling to think of any... Disadvantages: Everything
...is like every other young wheeler-dealer ever written with Baggy as his sad-sack sidekick. Lila is a third wheel whose only purpose is to act as a love interest, but is so badly written that when she and Joe get together, their relationship springs from nothing. Candy Fiveways is of course far more than a porn star because she is also a closet cineaste. As for film tutor Dulberg, the clue is in the name and the crew of the film are the usual half-witted eastern European stereotypes, while producer Doug is a hard-man walking cliché. The dialogue is innuendo laden and terribly mundane, with the normal run of misunderstandings, nudge-nudge-wink-wink mutterings and attempts at catchphrases.
Tom Riley seems miscast as wannabe film producer and all-round chancer Joe. He looks too nice and appears uncomfortable with every cheesy line he delivers...
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15.04.2008
24.12.2007
