Hush Hush Baby

Abdullah 'Ap' Bentarek is happy that, unlike his Uncle Yusuf who stayed in the ancestral Moroccan mountain village, his father Ali moved to the Netherlands – even though it does mean that he’ll have to deal with lousy friends and unrealistic expectations at the employment office. A light-hearted portrait of the immigrant experience and the ubiquitous intolerance of the unfamiliar in Dutch society.

This is a surprisingly relaxed Dutch movie about a group of young Maroccan people, living in the Netherlands. Like many European countries, who has seen an increase of immigrants from North Africa and Turkey the last couple of decades, Netherlands also has it's own share of imported culture. But this has not always been without conflict. Especially the last few years young Maroccans are getting a bad rep. So it's refreshing to see this movie, (the first one in Dutch history who has a predominant Maroccan cast), that deals with these much discussed, heavy topics and much more in a remarkable light tone. The story centers around Ab (-dullah) and his family. He is considering of finally 'getting serious' just like his older brother Sam (played by well-known Dutch comedian Najib Amhali) who is a respectable cop. So Ab wants to get a proper job and marry a legitimate Maroccan wife (in Marocco). But his criminal friends are constantly trying to lure him back to a life of petty crime. Meanwhile there are some other little things going on: his mother's growing impatience with her nagging husband, his sister Leila (the beautiful Touriya Haoud) who is hanging around a Dutch boy, meanwhile resisting an arranged marriage her father wants to impose on her. And of course there is the kidbrother who makes a living by taking photographs of Maroccan girls who wear make-up just to blackmail 'em. (Most Maroccan girls in the Netherlands are living a double life: timid and traditional at home, sexy and modern when they are outside their parents radar-range) In many respects this movie is a first. It's the first movie that deals with Maroccan-Dutch prejudices. And the first movie with so many Maroccan lead players. Seeing this movie in a theatre with both Dutch and Maroccan viewers can be very interesting. At times you hear parts of the audience laugh or cheer when other parts don't get it. But all in all, this movie is a fun movie to watch, has a lot of endearing characters. A bit of drama in the last part of the movie however is not perceived properly by the audience who are in 'laugh-mode' and don't always pick up on the other issues being presented. The last part drags on a little bit, but it has a very good ending. Both upbeat and cynical.