Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: MANDOOB [Red Sea International Film Festival 2023 - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia]
The aspect of a reverse caper is an interesting concept but especially with a character just looking to get ahead. The humor with which Mohamad Aldokhei plays Fahad as the antagonist of "Mandoob" is that he is trying his best and through his shenanigans, it just inevitably gets worse. Unlike "Naga" which attAcks a different idea of the story from a separate perspective, Fahad in "Mahoob" tries to take complete advantage of those opportunities presented to him (including smuggling) to middling effect (in terms of the character). The reason that the story (and by essence the film) works is that you essentially believe that he is a good guy, not smart enough to make it big but aware enough to know what is important (even if he never quite gets there). "Mandoob" translates into "Night Courier" but there are sub definitions of it and every one fits.
While the film could have been a little slicker and played up the situations, the difference is that it doesn't overplay its hand. There is no mugging per se. Aldoheki as Fahad weighs his actions while still understanding this is a comedy of sorts without resorting to melodrama. This makes his eventual outcome specific and earned. This is also helped by how the structure works using a flashback to illustrate essentially the entire story. Fahad wants to do stuff his way and everyone thinks he is an idiot except him. He feels totally true in his decisions and yet in some scenes tries to explain the reason away in good form (when he is obviously misled). The film captures an urban Saudi city at night, not unlike a Los Angeles with its back alleyways peppered between carnivals, restaurants and television studios. "Mandoob" isn't re-defining the wheel but it does get its genre right and creates an interesting balance specifically buoyed by a lead actor who (similar to Tony Shaloub playing Monk), gets the joke without making his character aware of it. B+
By Tim Wassberg
