Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Masterful Movie

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

"What is a Mum?" a British television advertisement once famously asked - the answer (in the 1950s) was someone who cooked for her family, washed their clothes cleaner than anyone else and was an attractive help mate for Dad.A (modest Tunisian widowed) Mum we are asked to believe, ditches 40 years of ingrained modesty and glides without too much difficulty into shaking her booty for a male audience at a sleazy club where patrons arrange sexual liaisons with the dancers. That she starts an affair with one of the musicians, perhaps 15 years her junior, who in turn dates her daughter and that she coolly and with utter poise deals with this novel highly delicate and unconventional situation. And finally at her daughter's wedding Mum dances erotically for her son-in-law/lover and all's well that ends well.The over extended soft porn love-making scene between Mum and future son-in-law rather gives the game away - the Tunisian director wants to demonstrate that her film (and liberated Tunisians) need cede little in terms of liberation to modern day France. Additionally it is sending a message that Tunisian women brought up in traditional ways can instantly and deftly adopt very sophisticated attitudes disregarding binding religious and cultural taboos both privately and in public.For those Tunisians who admire European sexual liberation and female emancipation it is presumably a brave landmark film and a blow struck against the old ways.As a window on modern Tunisia it seems unconvincing even nonsensical however well shot and in the case of Mum, charmingly acted.

So few films from the Maghreb make it to USA screens, so see "Satin Rouge" for that alone: it's a rare chance to witness life in North Africa (in this case, Tunisia). There's an early morning cab ride through a charming, graceful Mediterranean cityscape and beach scenes that made me want to jump onto the Internet to research my next vacation - on the coast near Tunis. It was all far lovelier than I'd ever imagined.Then there's the film itself. It offers a nicely-crafted, beautifully understated exposition of a shy widow's breaking out of her shell through the medium of traditional belly-dance, although the plot frog-leaps at times and the more literal-minded may be left wondering how certain developments came about. But the sensitive face of the actress who plays the lead role carries you over the spaces in the story.The music is terrific - definitely an element in the film. Supporting cast (particularly the professional belly dancer) felt thoroughly authentic.I found the mother-daughter relationship quite convincing, although if I were the daughter, I might have wondered where my mother was all those evenings! Worth seeing, particularly if you enjoy opening windows onto different cultures.

Satin Rouge is not a film that will grab you and swallow you up. What it is is nothing less than a sweet little story of a very short time in the life of a mother and daughter. The relationship is a bit strained as the father has passed and the mother is still holding on to what once was. While looking for her daughter one evening, as she has become quite strict, she stumbles upon a small cabaret of belly-dancers who proceed to welcome her. She be-friends them and slowly begins to open up. There is a quiet love-triangle involved, and it is all well done.The major strength of Satin Rouge is it's sweetness, as each character is loving and kind, as we wish the world would have more of. The human condition is well exposed. the performances, albeit slight, are fine as well as the casting. Our only concern with the film is its bland storyline that might not have enough to hold the viewer's interest. Those who do will probably be smiling in the end.

If you have a fondness of belly dancers like I do me, than this is an excellent movie. This movie has a perfect presentation of belly dancing in the Middle Eastern world. To me belly dancing is more than just a dance. It is a beautiful culture. Belly dancing is glamorous, sensual and mysterious. Belly dancers where such beautiful costumes and have such beautiful and sensual movements movements. That is why belly dancers are sometimes called "The flowers of the desert". This movie is about Lilia a depressed single mother and widow with a teenage daughter. One night Lilia who one night walks into a cabaret where belly dancers perform. Lilia befriends one of the dancers. Lilia tries one a belly dance costume and the belly dancer that Lilia has befriended talks her into performing at the cabaret and Lilia becomes one of the regular belly dance performers. Lilia is also able to relieve herself of her melancholy by letting herself go. So this film shows that belly dancing can have great mental benefits as well as great physical benefits. So if you like belly dancers than I certainly recommend this movie.