Bye-Bye

I got this film for $1, and I was pretty happy since it was a pain for me to find (pre-ebay). I don't think it even came out on DVD either.

It's a story along the lines of Pixote or Salom Bombay. A story of a lower class boy who ends up involved in the streets amongst other things.

I would recommend people watch Salom Bombay and or Pixote before this film, but this is still a decent watch. I would't kill myself over it, as you're not going to see much in this film that wasn't done in the others, and the other did it better. If you're a fan of coming of age/street movies this would be nice. If not, you might want to avoid it

This is an extremely well-made and intimate look at a Tunisian family living in France. The story focuses on Ismael, and his little brother Mouloud. Their strong, intense bond is the centerpiece of the film. Ismael lives with a crushing pain and guilt over his handicapped brother, Nouredine, who died in a fire while he was out. The two boys leave their home in Paris, and travel to Marseilles, hoping to start over. But problems catch up with them when they move in with their uncle and his own wife and son, Rhida. Temptations of the street, as well as the sexy girl who seduces the young Ismael into an affair. she is the girlfriend of his new-found French companion, and this adds to the guilt he already is carrying inside him. It doesn't help that his best friend's father and brother are racists against Arabs living in "their country."

"Bye-Bye" is a very effective portrait of family bonds, as well as a look at racism and life for Arabs living inside France. Atmospheric and gritty, dark; but not without it's spots of humor and optimism. The performances from the cast of beautiful actors is all around impressive, and this film marks the debut of the French Algerian actor, Ouassini Embarek, who is somewhat well-known inside France. People have tried to compare this film to Hector Babenco's "Pixote," but this is not a fair or accurate comparison. This is a film about family bonds; these are not displaced/homeless kids. They have families and are loved and cared for. Their problems don't arise from poverty, but from cultural clashes that make their lives a struggle. This is a worthy and important work, in the tradition of films by Andre Techine, another French filmmaker who deals with the similar theme of young French Arabs and their struggle to find their identity in a foreign land.

i've been writing my dissertation on this film (along with 'douce France'and hexagone) It's a very serious look at the issues surrounding racial tensions, generation gaps and a clash between eastern and western culture. It deals with intense topics without being overly worthy.

None of the characters are 2d...they all have multi faceted personalities which propels the story along realistically. The flashbacks Ismail has of Nouredine at the end of the film will truly make you ache.

If you're interested in exploring 'beur cinema' (the academic term, not mine!) and the representations of social issues such as poverty, discrimination and identity then definitely watch this.