Whatever Lola Wants (2007)

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An American girl follows her heart and her dreams to the Middle East in this romantic comedy-drama. Lola (Laura Ramsey) was born and raised in Wisconsin but has moved to Manhattan in hopes of finding a more exciting career, though so far she's making ends meet working as a letter carrier. Lola's… More An American girl follows her heart and her dreams to the Middle East in this romantic comedy-drama. Lola (Laura Ramsey) was born and raised in Wisconsin but has moved to Manhattan in hopes of finding a more exciting career, though so far she's making ends meet working as a letter carrier. Lola's secret passion is belly dancing, and she devotes her spare time to lessons in the ancient art; her close friend Yussef (Achmed Akkabi) offers encouragement, but so far she's only been able to perform in public at a ratty strip club. While delivering mail, Lola meets Zach (Assad Bouab), the handsome son of a wealthy Egyptian family who is studying business in the United States. Zach is clearly attracted to Lola, and it isn't long before she finds herself falling for him, and when he's called home on short notice, Lola decides buy a ticket to Cairo to follow him. It doesn't take long for Lola to realize that while Zach may have pursued her in New York, he's not about to at home, but she becomes fascinated with Cairo and decides to stay for a while in hopes of learning belly dancing in the land where it was born. Lola finds Ismahan (Carmen Lebbos), once one of the world's greatest belly dancers, and asks her for lessons, but Lola learns she retired in disgrace after a scandal and luring her back into action is no easy task. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi