Egyptian actor Ahmed Helmy knows his craft and cares about it. The actor, known for picking original ideas and developing a well-made film from them, has his latest project "Assal Esweed" (Molasses), in Egyptian cinemas now to be screened, and thus far Helmy is staying consistent in his work with recieving rave reviews.
In his current film out in theatres, Helmy plays "Masry el-Arabi," or the Egyptian Arab, a native Egyptian who moved to the United States in his early years, later to return to his mother country in search of his roots, carrying nothing much but a camera, an American passport and a vague memory in his mind of what used to be his childhood playground.
Faced with possibly every con thrown into foreigner's faces when they come to Egypt, Masry eventually figures out his American passport is the only thing that will bring him respect on Egyptian soil. Indeed, his passport grants him the rights he had longed for, but these don't come without consequences.
"Masry el-Arabi" takes the form of a great satire that brings humor to the screen while refraining from the usual cliches of Egyptian cinema: oneliners from hash-smoking characters, unbearable love-story arcs, or cackling super-villains.
The taxi driver is a typical example, whose character switches from the swindler to the saved when Helmy stands up for him against a corrupt policeman that unfairly files him a traffic ticket.
Egyptians being kind at heart; delivering the message that misconduct is not among their genuine traits, and there is truly no place like Egypt; with all its contradictions and flaws.
When a police dog starts barking at Masry, he simply waves his American passport and silents the animal.
The plot eventually turns into a morality play with the characters delivering speeches about the Egyptian mentality and all its controversies, featuring topics that range from passive aggression to ubiquitous apathy, an affliction that can only be solved by divine intervention. Helmy takes this opportunity to attack the socio-economic status of Egypt; an underlying cause for the negative behavior seen in Cairean society.
"Masry el-Arabi" is ultimately another satiric comedy that allows Egyptians to watch their daily pain on the screen and laugh it off. It leaves movie-goers with a knowledge that without a negative side, Egyptian society would not be so beautiful or intimate.
What they don't show you in this sceptical movie is how really most Egyptians are from this generations. Specially young boys without education (lot of them 90%) who hasseling foreign girls/woman. Example:
* It's funny how they being subject to the machinations and manipulations of a control freak is often as being signs of "he truly respects me and shows his love for me by treating me in a way which would be utterly unacceptable back home".
* he does your shopping for you to make sure that you don't get ripped off = he controls the money and you never learn how much things ought to cost.
* he thinks too much of you to allow you to use the bus, microbus or metro = he can control where you go and who you see.
* he insists on doing everything for you and not giving you the phone numbers of various crafts folk like plumbers whatever = you haven't a clue how anything works round here, how much you should pay for anything, or anything else already and when/if he does a runner/lands in hospital or whatever you have no clue what to do.
* They manipulate you very easy. Specially when you never have this attention in you own country and these boys knows it very well. They want quickly to marry you and specially at the Embassy. Then you stuck!
* Conclusion: These "lover boys" only care about your money. Nothing more and nothing less. They are ready to sell their soul for it. And I have seen a lot of example's in this country. They give Egypt a bad impressions so Egypt will loose a lot of tourist and income.
Egypt have nice historical views and sites. It's very interesting. But the Government have destroy the live of the majority people for the last 3 decades. That's 2 generations! It's take another 3 decades to fix this problem if their will be change in the Government. If not then Egypt will be total corrupt and destroy it's self. The final game with the "Elite" has begun......
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