A multi cultural Flodder
"Shouf shouf habibi" is a comedy about the Moroccan family Bentarek, whose kids are integrated in the Dutch society to a varying degree.
The interpretation of the movie cannot be seperated from the Dutch political situation of that time, not long after the murder in 2002 on the politician Pim Fortuyn, the first politically oriented murder in Holland since a long time.
Before that time criticism on immigrants was frequently interpreted as a sort of racism. Immigrants were mainly seen as victims. At that time immigrants were all too often stereotyped as maladjusted and causing problems. At the present day, with the woke movement, a return to the initial situation seems to be occuring.
At the time of release there was criticism on the film from the Moroccan community. The film should be politically incorrect (or, at that time, it was maybe better to call the film politically too correct). This criticism is correct if we just look at the main character Abdullah, who isn't the ideal son in law, too say the least. The criticism is incorrect if we look at the whole Bentarek family.
The film would have been more balanced if for example Samir (the oldest brother of Abdullah) or Leila (his sister) had had an equally important role as Abdullah. In that case the film however would have also been less funny. With Abdullah in the lead the Bentarek family sort of becomes a multi cultural "Flodder" (1986, Dick Maas).
According to Shakespeare "all''s well that ends well" and in the end Abdulah is a railway guard with a permanent position. A more assimilated job is hardly conceivable. The transition from a a bridegroom on the run to this permanent position does however happen a bit suddenly.
The interpretation of the movie cannot be seperated from the Dutch political situation of that time, not long after the murder in 2002 on the politician Pim Fortuyn, the first politically oriented murder in Holland since a long time.
Before that time criticism on immigrants was frequently interpreted as a sort of racism. Immigrants were mainly seen as victims. At that time immigrants were all too often stereotyped as maladjusted and causing problems. At the present day, with the woke movement, a return to the initial situation seems to be occuring.
At the time of release there was criticism on the film from the Moroccan community. The film should be politically incorrect (or, at that time, it was maybe better to call the film politically too correct). This criticism is correct if we just look at the main character Abdullah, who isn't the ideal son in law, too say the least. The criticism is incorrect if we look at the whole Bentarek family.
The film would have been more balanced if for example Samir (the oldest brother of Abdullah) or Leila (his sister) had had an equally important role as Abdullah. In that case the film however would have also been less funny. With Abdullah in the lead the Bentarek family sort of becomes a multi cultural "Flodder" (1986, Dick Maas).
According to Shakespeare "all''s well that ends well" and in the end Abdulah is a railway guard with a permanent position. A more assimilated job is hardly conceivable. The transition from a a bridegroom on the run to this permanent position does however happen a bit suddenly.
- frankde-jong
- Apr 13, 2022