New Showbiz

You are here:
The Journey

The Journey

2017

Director

Mohamed Al Daradji

Runtime

82 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Sara enters Baghdad station with sinister intentions for its reopening ceremony. As she braces to commit an unthinkable act, her plans are drastically altered by an unwanted and awkward encounter with Salam, a self-assured and flirtatious salesman. With Salam now hostage to Sara’s confused and deluded plan, he battles desperately to appeal to her humanity and sway her decision. In a moment of consideration and with her convictions crumbling before her, Sara is given the opportunity to witness the life and innocence she was so willing to destroy. But is this a second chance or an admission of guilt?

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

7.6/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The film focuses on the tension between Sara and Salam. While no explicit non-cisnormative identities are mentioned, the narrative disrupts rigid social scripts through awkward, unexpected encounters.

Gender Representation

Excellent

Sara serves as a powerful female protagonist who challenges traditional hierarchies. The film avoids passive archetypes, instead exploring female rage and the reclamation of empathy.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

Set in Baghdad, the film resists a Western-normative gaze. It utilizes a localized Middle Eastern landscape to provide a rich, authentic, and non-Anglo-centric environment.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The story engages with moral relativism and critiques social institutions. It portrays a volatile environment where systemic pressures shape individual morality and personal convictions.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no evidence regarding the portrayal of visible or invisible disabilities in the narrative.

Strengths

  • Strong female agency through a protagonist who subverts traditional nurturing archetypes.
  • Authentic Middle Eastern setting that resists a Western-normative perspective.
  • Sophisticated exploration of moral ambiguity and the impact of systemic pressures.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of explicit representation for LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative characters.
  • No visible or invisible disability representation within the provided narrative.

AI Analysis

The film excels by centering a complex female protagonist in a specific Middle Eastern setting, avoiding Western-centric tropes. It prioritizes psychological depth and regional authenticity over traditional moral binaries. However, the narrative lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or characters with disabilities. The focus remains tightly on the interpersonal conflict between the two central figures. Ultimately, the work succeeds as a nuanced study of agency and systemic instability, using its localized context to challenge conventional ideas of heroism and social stability.

How are these scores produced? →

Similar Movies

Movie poster for The Exam

The Exam

2021

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 7.1 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.