Click here to copy URL

The Perfect Candidate

2019

Haifaa Al-Mansour

Mila Al Zahrani, Nora Al Awadh, Dae Al Hilali, Khalid Abdulraheem ...

6.1

863

Drama The film’s Saudi protagonist is frustrated after being turned back at the airport because her travel permission from her male guardian isn’t up to date. She then embarks on an absurd campaign that juggles strict social norms, gender segregation and the influence of her eccentric family, according to the film’s synopsis, which was written by Al-Mansour.

	Author	Review
United States	Deborah Young The Hollywood Reporter	"A simplistic feminist tale with an irresistible heroine (...) 'The Perfect Candidate' offers a candid view on Saudi Arabian society that will pique the curiosity of Western audiences"	POS
United Kingdom	Xan Brooks The Guardian	"Fiery and headstrong, and instantly gets you on its side. The formula works wonders on the second time of asking (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Jay Weissberg Variety	"The script is so simplistic (...) that it reduces the people themselves to unsophisticated representatives of change, and yet its welcome message of female empowerment will be embraced by Western audiences"	NEU
United States	Alonso Duralde The Wrap	"With exquisite subtlety, director Haifaa Al Mansour brings us into her heroine’s world and lays out the series of indignations (some tiny, some massive) she is forced to face on a daily basis"	POS
United States	Alex Billington First Showing	"I really believe Haifaa Al-Mansour is one of the most talented filmmakers making movies these days (...) And 'The Perfect Candidate' proves that she is continuing to grow, continuing to mature, and will only get better with each & every new film she brings us."	POS
United Kingdom	Jonathan Romney Screendaily	"[It] has its share of piquant ironies (...) These touches apart, the film never entirely transcends its nature as a polemical pamphlet	NEU
United Kingdom	Peter Bradshaw The Guardian	"[It] is the sort of film I can imagine getting a remake in contemporary America or Britain, with not as many changes as we might assume (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
	Kaleem Aftab Cineuropa	[I] has a light-hearted tone that pushes a family-entertainment vibe. It takes on significant issues, but in a way that is illustrative, rather than combative."	POS

Return to movie

We encourage you to check the reviews' original sources. Intellectual property rights of these reviews belong to their authors and/or the correspondent media from which they have been extracted. If you'd like to help us to add more reviews to your favorite movies, just send us a message.