“La Moakhza” (Excuse My French) is
about a Christian kid suddenly is forced to go to a public school after his
father dies and because of a misunderstanding everyone thinks that he's a
Muslim. The film is directed and written by Amr Salama.
Young Hany Abdallah Beter (Ahmed Dash), an Ahmed Helmy voiceover
introduces Hany and his mum and dad, and the bank where his father works, and
the fancy school where he does interesting science experiments, and the family
watching his favorite British football team or “Seinfeld.” Everything is sunny
and clean, with clear flat colors, and the characters pose for the camera,
constantly smiling, like in a children’s picture book.
Hany is a 14-year-old boy from an upper-class Christian family in
Cairo. He leads a happy, sheltered life until his father suddenly dies, forcing
him to face brand-new realities. For financial reasons, his mother (Kenda Allouch)
moves him from international school where he was widely popular for his wit and
intellect, to a shabby public school where he has a very hard time getting
along with his fellow students. When a misunderstanding leads the teachers and
students in his new school to think he is a Muslim, Hany decides not to tell
them the truth.
Hany then realizes that he's not the only one who is trying to
conform, he finds his teachers, Nelly and Amin- who was once his friend. It
surprises him that Amin acts as a totally different person in that society.
However later on, he could not vent his anger and fight for virtues which make
no sense in such society.
However, Hany finds a friend in Momen who shares a seat with him in
school and who eventually helps him on his quest to impress his classmates. The
scenes with the two actors together provide some of La Moakhza’s most funny and
entertaining moments, and their relationship can be considered as the line that
sets the tone for the whole story.
In addition, Hany relates to his science teacher, Nelly because she
somehow looked like his mother and like the background he came from. He could
not understand why other boys viewed her in a different sense only because she
did not look like them. He attempts to warn her from the other boys' plan to
harass her. Later on when he meets her once again in church, he is startled to
discover that she's a Muslim.
At the end, Hany AbdAllah deforms into double-standard character
having to deal with both societies; that which he comes from and the other
which he has found himself in.
The movie is filled of comedy and dramatic scenes.
I highly recommend it the story of the movie is interesting La
Moakhza is a creative movie shedding light on serious issues in the Egyptian
society through a comic scenario.
