DVD Mini Review - Captian Abu Raed

I want to say a few words about the wonderful film Captain Abu Raed. It is directed and written by first time filmmaker Amin Matalga. It is a simple story that carries a big punch.

Abu Raed (a marvelous Nadim Sawalha) is a janitor at the Amman, Jordan airport. He is also a lonely widower who greets the picture of his wife every time he comes. At the beginning of the film he keeps to himself. But a strange things happens. He finds an airline pilot's hat in the garbage and takes it home. When he wears it the children of the village think he is a captain (hence the name of the film). He tries to deny it but when the kids insist he gives in. He enchants them with stories of far away places (some of which he got from the books that he reads). But things happen and he finds that some of the children have serious problems - especially in one case. Abu Raed goes out of himself and tries to do what he can to help.

There are some very disturbing things in this film. But it is, in some ways, a very uplifting. It is a very humanistic film. Matalga did a great job for a first time filmmaker. And the shots of Amman are breathtaking. This is a must see.