User reviews

I felt like the last 10 minutes of the film were missing..

This is what every and each single person in a third-world country has experienced. What happens in the offices, how the streets look, how the police treats you, how people think of a newcomer, and ... This is how these countries feel and the movie is a portrait drawn by a great artist.

The struggle to become something or someone .. to succeed in ones profession or dream/pursuit. And if you are a woman ... well the struggle can be even worse. Especially in some countries and situations. Not that we have reached real equality anywhere, but in some countries it is even worse than in others, when it comes to women being able to work however they want to.

That is just the basis, just one of the points the movie is making. Psychologically speaking there is more to it. Great central performance, great persistence, great fight for what she believes in. And really fun and interesting side stories of the ... side characters overall. A nice little movie/drama, that you will like if you are into low budget character studies.

A beautiful film to see. Set in Tunis, it has various readings within it, from light and cheerful to deep and full of intense content that an attentive audience will have the pleasure of noticing.

I found this rather a french movie than a tunisian movie. A lot of the dialogues are in french, the main character's french (although of Tunisian background) which leads to some disappointment if you're looking for a real tunisian movie. That being said, the main actress is really credible and plays very well her role. I also appreciated many comic situations especially at the beginning of the movie which makes it an overall pleasant movie, not too boring or long like many other indy french or tunisian movies. We can regret also a bit too much of cliches on both parisian (the rudeness of the psychanalyst) and tunisian people but that is done without any bad intention which makes those OK.

If you want your main character to go into some dream/alternative sequence, you need to set it up properly. The story was going well until out of nowhere you are stuck in a car with an imaginary character for no rhyme or reason. That killed it for me. That whole scene needs to be edited out.

Overall great acting, funny spoofish characters.

Arab Blues is a pretty formulaic film, but made remarkable for its socially realistic depiction of life in Tunis, Tunisia. The film follows a young psychoanalyst returning to her homeland from France, Selma (played excellently by Franco-Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani), trying to set up a practise in a land where psychotherapy is considered a Western luxury.

This film's best aspect is its slice of life nature; the concept lends itself well to getting into a colourful cast of character's lives, as they reveal deep and dark secrets they probably wouldn't in a society where "face" and honour are so important. We also get a nice sense of what Tunisians care about: improving their country, dealing with (and ultimately accepting) petty corruption, the "right" way to practise Islam, the role of women, the importance of family. There's a lot in this relatively short film.

Yet, I couldn't help but feel, despite its gorgeous cinematography, likeable characters, refreshingly light hearted tone, that this film could've done more. Many threads are left unfinished, which leads to a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion. Maybe it's the point; life doesn't really follow a neat path. The primary conflict is one mostly settled off screen and no, maybe it's unrealistic to end in a way that ties everything together. But, at the end of the day, this is a movie.

And if realism is what the film was going for, I don't really buy it. There's a lot in this film that doesn't feel that way - which is fine - so, why not just embrace the hokey nature of the story?

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this film. I'm always going to be a bit kinder to movies that are from places I don't typically see them, but this isn't a charity score. This is a pretty fun, enjoyable film.

I believe it was well-intended, to see how the horizon of the Arabs regarding the psychological aspect of their daily practice. As a society that has even less belief in the talking "cure", the premise of opening a psychoanalysis practice in Tunisia is intriguing. Yet, Arab Blues fell flat in exploring how the challenges go and expanding the awareness of how we could benefit in actually addressing our inner struggles to a professional. There are too many either unresolved subtopics or effortless nonsense resolutions happening by the end of the film and Selma is seen as a snob rather than an empathetic.

The movie literally makes you feel blues. Well at least I did. After 1 hour you are totally into her blues as much and want her to go back to where came from having left a comfy life in Paris. Overall, Golshifteh Is a brilliant actress and She shines throughout the movie. Hoping to see her in more movies!!

I loved every moment of the movie, i loved how it's simple and outgoing. Salma and all the actors made outstanding performance. the only thing i didn't like is the end, how short it was.

What a bad and superficial film. It has nothing to do with psychology and all jokes are cheap. The people the protagonist met are all bad and dumb and all are Tunesian. The protagonist ist arrogant and a poor psycho-analyst.

Arab Blues (A Couch in Tunis) is an instantly likeable film. Its opening shot - about an old man's description of who Sigmund Freud might be from his looks - is charming and so is the story that succeeds it of a young woman (Golshifteh Farahani) coming back to her homeland, Tunisia, from Paris to start a psychoanalysis practice. She knows she will be looked down for it, a testament that she immediately gets from her uncle. But she is independent, courageous, and gritty, and so the film begins. I absolutely loved all the characters and their performances here, especially Farahani, Feryel Chammari, and Aïsha Ben Miled. Each actor is better than the other and I had a sweet time looking at them, delivering beautiful dialogues and acting like it's real life. The social critique is pregnant here but Arab Blues projects itself as a lively comedy about a woman's struggle in modern-day Tunis, a state still marred by backward beliefs and customs, something that is common everywhere. With a supporting soundtrack, adequate humour, and the ability to keep you engaged, Arab Blues is easily one of the most pleasant comedies you will see this year. Glad I sat down and considered EUFF. Grade A-.

(Watched at the 2020 European Union Film Festival of India (EUFF).)

Golshifteh Farahani, as wonderful as always. I would say it's a feel good movie which is commenting on some of the issues faced in the modern day society.

Director took the artistic freedom in making it. It's good to watch movie.

And spoiler alert, there's guest entry of Sigmund Freud!!

A Nice Plot with Nice casts and music. Loved it. I like the way the director portrayed the lifestyle of Tunisian people. Farahani's mixed expressions are also good as always. I'm in love with the opening songs.. and the bg scores. And ofcourse I'm in love with the messy hair and dress-up of Goli.

This movie will put a big smile on your face. Kuddos to the director for this nice first movie. Wishing her success for the next ones too :)

The movie is about a woman, returning to her home country, Tunisia, after having fled at the age of 10. Now with her French passport, and her tattoos, she is stigmatised by the society. But this doesn't stop her from building her life as a psychoanalyst while forming meaningful and heartfelt relationships with those around her. I only wish we could know more about her family and her own history. But I feel like this was on purpose left behind, to give the feeling that Selma was only one of many. This way, we can focus more on the uniqueness of her return and her desire to help, all at the same time not compromising from her values.

What a movie! Interesting, beautiful, clever. Strong story and well played. Funny and deep

Brilliant acting and deep emotion from an Exiled Iranian lovely actress love for Golshifteh

As a French Tunisian, I might be biased, but "Arab Blues" is an absolute gem that perfectly captures the nuances of Tunisian humor while delivering a profound message about post-revolution life. Golshifteh Farahani, the Iranian-French lead actress, blends in so seamlessly that you forget she's not Tunisian; her portrayal is both authentic and endearing. I also believe the original French title, "Un divan à Tunis" (A Couch in Tunis), should have been kept, as it better reflects the essence and charm of the movie. The film brilliantly balances comedy and social commentary, offering a refreshing and insightful look into Tunisian society. It's a delightful experience that resonates deeply, especially for those familiar with the culture or those who want to understand a bit of the culture of this small North African country. Highly recommended!