Caramel (2007)

92% of critics liked it
(74 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(11,533 ratings)

A Beirut beauty salon serves as a microcosm of modern society in director Nadine Labaki's look at liberated conversation in a conflicted society. Over the course of their day it becomes readily apparent that women are truly the same everywhere, regardless of the society they live in. While single… More A Beirut beauty salon serves as a microcosm of modern society in director Nadine Labaki's look at liberated conversation in a conflicted society. Over the course of their day it becomes readily apparent that women are truly the same everywhere, regardless of the society they live in. While single Layale struggles with her growing attraction to a married man, Muslim bride-to-be Nisrine fears that her husband will find out that she has already lost her virginity, and Rima wages a futile war against her lesbian instincts. As with many women who frequent the salon, Jamale does everything within her power to reverse the visible effects of aging. As Rose laments the fact that she has sacrificed her own happiness in order to care for her older sister, the intimate conversations shared over the course of a typical day reveal just how universal the lives, loves, and concerns of contemporary women truly are. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Nadine Labaki
Written By: Nadine Labaki, Jihad Hojeily, Rodney Al Haddad
Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

In Theaters: Feb 1, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Jun 17, 2008
Studio: Roadside Attractions

Critic Reviews

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Caramel is a bittersweet treat.
Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader
Labaki elicits expressive performances from a cast of amateurs, aided by Khalad Mouzanar's entrancing score and Yves Sehnaoui's lush cinematography.
Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times
Perceptive and poignant, Caramel observes the love lives of the establishment's owner, her employees and their customers.
Tasha Robinson, Chicago Tribune
There's a pleasant, easygoing charm to Caramel, largely stemming from Labaki's rare determination to depict Beirut as something other than a war-torn, slowly recovering battleground.
Joe Leydon, Houston Chronicle
Its chief focus is the bonding between women who rely on each for support, and who really appreciate a place where they can let down their hair.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
Filmgoers expecting My Big Fat Lebanese Waxing are in for a bigger treat: Nadine Labaki, who wrote and directed the film, possesses an astute instinct for restraint that makes Caramel smarter ans more poignantthan the average chick flick.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
A chick flick form Lebanon, this film has some charm
David Stratton, The Australian
It's one of the best films about women you're likely to see this year.
Julie Rigg, MovieTime, ABC Radio National
Many films these days celebrate female solidarity. Post-feminism, it's almost obligatory. But very few do it as convincingly, and with such style.
, FILMINK (Australia)
Taken together, the women tell a universal story about the beauty and battles of daily life.
Philippa Hawker, The Age (Australia)
Labaki, who co-wrote the film and also stars, maintains a knowing comic tone throughout.
Andrew L. Urban, Urban Cinefile
The result is a sweet, but certainly not cloying, film about relationships in modern Beirut %u2013 the city to which Labaki dedicates her film.
Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
This vibrant and intricate look at the lives of five women in Beirut is tantalisingly sweet as the title suggests. There are themes within the themes and the various stories intersect with compelling fluidity
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Ritual and rebellion collide in this bittersweet confection casting a rare gaze upon the pleasures, sorrows, dreams and sexual desires of Arab women in the Middle East.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Ritual and rebellion collide in this bittersweet confection casting a rare gaze upon the pleasures, sorrows, dreams and sexual desires of Arab women in the Middle East.
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)
Although the film isn't chatty and people are just a little too soap opera-ish photogenic, the film is often understated enough to charm. Small, tender scenes and little details make Caramel a nice, light passing fancy.
Enrique Buchichio, Uruguay Total
Un cálido y entrañable retrato de mujeres, sus historias personales y sus conflictos, en el marco de una sociedad a medio camino entre la modernidad y las tradiciones. Una verdadera revelación.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[A]s smart and heartfelt as it is observant about the universalities of the lives of women...
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
A 34-year-old music-video director, Labaki shows promise with a smooth, artistic eye, although she succumbs to the Mel Gibson-like tendency to give herself the most closeups.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
It's smart, funny and, of course, sweet.

Read all 25 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

I have been wanting to see this one since I first saw it advertised a few years back. Just seemed to be one that I never came across at the video store, or remembered to look for. When it was finally shown on SBS a few months back, I taped it, and, you guessed it, forgot all about… More
I have been wanting to see this one since I first saw it advertised a few years back. Just seemed to be one that I never came across at the video store, or remembered to look for. When it was finally shown on SBS a few months back, I taped it, and, you guessed it, forgot all about it! Finally stumbled across it again today, (gotta love a public holiday), and finally I can say I have seen this lovely movie. I heard it described as a very romantic film. It is and it kind of isn't. Though there is a lot of romance and romantic themes in it, it is firmly based in reality. There is potential for almost all in this film to have a romantic ending, but not all get it........SPOILERS........ Particularly sad in the case of the older lady caring for her old mother with dementia - you literally see her lose her courage. Pretty heartbreaking to think she missed her last chance at happiness, but on the other hand, you have to admire her selflessness in choosing to care for her mother. Mostly this follows the lives and friendship of four women and is based around the beauty salon three of them work in. It is set in Beirut, which also gives this movie a little something extra - I found this both exotic and totally alien to my own life. You could say this is a far cry from a friendship movie such as the Sex & the City films. This somehow had more substance, while still being quite a feel good movie. The main character Layale is involved with a married man, which obviously leads to tears. She becomes obsessed with his wife, Christine, who is such a lovely person even Layale kind of likes her, much to her confusion. Meanwhile, Layale can't see that the policeman who works across the road is secretly in love with her and a really nice guy. Nisrine is about to be married and has a secret - her husband is not her "first" (I can't imagine this being a scandal in a SATC, but here it is, again, very different culture), and she decides to take some extreme action to hide her secret. Rima is a lesbian and is attracted to a beautiful customer to the beauty store. This relationship is implied more than seen, but done nicely. I guess maybe that would be more scandalous in this culture also. And Jamale is an ageing aspiring actress who is divorced and feeling her age so badly she has resorted to taping her face and lying about still getting her period to make herself seem more youthfull. Her audition screen test is funny and also heartbreaking. I really felt for all the women in this movie. Really, really beautifully written characters and story and leaves plenty to your own imagination and interpretation. I will definitely be adding this one to my collection!
Rico Z

This film paints a beautiful picture of life for women in Lebanon. The movie is devoid of bombs, terrorists, military and any of the usual suspects in movies that take place in countries such as Lebanon. Instead, the film explores the trials and tribulations of five women who are… More
This film paints a beautiful picture of life for women in Lebanon. The movie is devoid of bombs, terrorists, military and any of the usual suspects in movies that take place in countries such as Lebanon. Instead, the film explores the trials and tribulations of five women who are connected by the work they share in a beauty salon. The bond they've created is a net of trust they can be assured of when it comes to confiding in one another. Whether it be troubles with men; troubles with customers; troubles with dealing with aging; or anything else--these women are strong characters that exude a feminist aura that is all-but absent from the portrait the American media is willing to present us with. This movie is a small, foreign-language gem that deals with women; is directed by a woman; but is no way a chick flick. It showcases the way of life in a country that I knew nothing about except for what I see in the news--and it's beautiful to see life being lived to the fullest by the inhabitants of a region with such a bad reputation.
Mark A

A lovely, sweet film. Think Steel Magnolias in Beruit. The action revolves around five women who work in, live near, or frequent a beauty salon, Si Belle. The owner realizes her affair with a married man is ending, her assistant is getting married and another employee seems to strike… More
A lovely, sweet film. Think Steel Magnolias in Beruit. The action revolves around five women who work in, live near, or frequent a beauty salon, Si Belle. The owner realizes her affair with a married man is ending, her assistant is getting married and another employee seems to strike a chord with one of their clients. One of their most faithful clients is having difficulty finding work as an actress and model because of her age. The old woman next door is both annoying and sad. Her mind is obviously going and she acts childish in the extreme and causes problems for the woman who takes care of her. Lots of beautiful people, especially Nadine Labaki, its director and star. A wonderful introduction to Lebanese culture. A brilliant color palette from this first time director. A movie that makes you laugh while pondering deeper issues of why we love the people we do and how the little things can matter so much.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Caramel" is set around the Si Belle Beauty Salon in Beirut where Nisrine(Yasmine Elmasri) is getting ready to be married to Bassam(Ismail Antar), just as long as he is not in jail. In other news, Layale(Nadine Labaki, who also directed) is carrying on… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Caramel" is set around the Si Belle Beauty Salon in Beirut where Nisrine(Yasmine Elmasri) is getting ready to be married to Bassam(Ismail Antar), just as long as he is not in jail. In other news, Layale(Nadine Labaki, who also directed) is carrying on an affair with a married man, making clandestine meetings in parked cars. Jamale(Gisele Aouad), a divorced mother of two, has started to audition for roles again. And there might be a very good reason why Rima(Joanna Moukarzel) is not getting married anytime soon...[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Caramel" is a touching and charming movie that may not seem like anything earth shattering here in the United States. At the same time, the beauty salon serves as an insightful metaphor for the diminished role of women in Lebanon where being careful is a necessary talent.(Speaking of which, could you please explain why anybody would ever want to get their legs waxed?) Regardless, what a person may be looking for could be right in front of their eyes and they don't even know it.[/font]
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i31.tinypic.com/1znn3nm.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> When I got Caramel recommended I was sceptical, maybe I won't… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i31.tinypic.com/1znn3nm.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> When I got Caramel recommended I was sceptical, maybe I won't like, because it handle some issues that I was not interested in. But I am glad I watched, it was such an enjoyable movie. It was a story of five women who are all connected through life in a beauty shop.It mostly focuses on sisterhood, homosexuality, adultery, religion and love.I would recommend this movie to anyone because it was heartwarming and funny. Any woman would be able to see themselves in at least one of these women in this movie. Was worth watching.
Sarah B

Saw this around the same time as Sex and the City and there's no comparison, except for the group of women and their trials and tribulations looking for, keeping and losing love. It's so much more subtle, beautiful, heartfelt and the Beirut setting with its intensity,… More
Saw this around the same time as Sex and the City and there's no comparison, except for the group of women and their trials and tribulations looking for, keeping and losing love. It's so much more subtle, beautiful, heartfelt and the Beirut setting with its intensity, culture and repression makes it all the more poignant. The one who becomes someone she's not for her man annoys me, but the old woman, lesbian and the main character are all wonderful. Sweet without being saccharine, luscious without being heavy, sensual without being dirty. Simply gorgeous.
Janice :

Caramel is the story of five Lebanese women coming to terms with their lives, while sharing a unique bond of friendship, probably portrayed by a tangible setting, the beauty salon, helping them cope with the harsh realities of existence. First there's… More
Caramel is the story of five Lebanese women coming to terms with their lives, while sharing a unique bond of friendship, probably portrayed by a tangible setting, the beauty salon, helping them cope with the harsh realities of existence. First there's Layale who realizes her relationship with a married man is leading her nowhere. Then there's Nisrine who is to marry a Muslim man yet faces a terrible obstacle. As for Rima, she is a lesbian. Then Jamale who fears old age and seems to encounter but failures in her professional life. Lastly there's the very endearing Rose who must chose between love or her senile mother Lili. Director Nadine Labaki (who also plays Layale) beautifully portrays the lives of these women without making it too melodramatic, occasionally adding dashes of humour to soften the film. First of all, for a film whose title is "Caramel", there is not enough caramel. Of course everyone can remember the film Chocolat (with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp) which featured the life of a rebellious woman interwoven with the art of making chocolate. And basically, the movie just oozed with chocolate and the likes. But in Caramel, caramel itself is allotted only a few scenes, namely the opening scene where the process of making caramel is introduced to us - caramel in this movie being most of all used as an epilation method rather than for edible reasons. But then I thought, hmmm, the caramel in itself is the reason why these women are together. So Caramel is an appropriate title; well, at least better than Four Lebanese Women or Beauty Salon, haha! The characters aren't as deep as one would think. I was expecting more depth and emotionally arousing situations. And as bizarre as it may sound, my favourite character wasn't even one of the main women; it was Lili, the mentally-challenged old lady. Also, I wouldn't go so far as saying this is beautifully shot because it isn't. The colours are too dark for such a film. And no, I'm pretty sure it wasn't done to create a certain style. Common sense, people! When you call your film Caramel, I bet you'll try and make the scenes and transitions look as smooth as possible, far from angular shots that make the scenes look strict and devoid of softness. Sheesh! Overall, a nice directorial debut from Nadine Labaki, worth a watch especially by fans of the genre. I'll definitely be awaiting her next film!
Leo L

An amazing movie! Great story plot. Interesting tales of various characters. Great cast!