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Solitaire

Name: Solitaire
Director: Sophie Boutros
Released: 2017
Duration: 92 min

Representation Score

3.2/10

Limited

2017

Director

Sophie Boutros

Runtime

92 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Solitaire is a character study that uses a domestic setting to examine how geopolitical tensions and regional displacement fracture personal lives. It moves beyond simple clichés by centering on a woman's ability to act and the psychological scars left by war. The film succeeds in complicating traditional ideas of hospitality and communal belonging. By introducing ethnic friction into a private space, it forces a confrontation between personal legacy and the reality of a changing regional landscape. However, the film's scope is narrow, focusing heavily on sectarian and personal dimensions of conflict. It lacks representation across several key identity categories, remaining rooted in traditional social frameworks.

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Category Breakdown

Does Solitaire have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on traditional family structures and marriage prospects. There are no LGBTQ+ characters or narratives addressing non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth identities.

How does Solitaire portray gender?

Fair

Therese serves as a central decision-maker and emotional anchor rather than a passive figure. Her resistance to the engagement demonstrates autonomy that challenges traditional submissive female archetypes.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Solitaire?

Good

The narrative explores ethnic tension by placing a Lebanese protagonist in conflict with Syrian guests. This highlights the impact of geopolitical borders on interpersonal relationships and identity.

How does Solitaire represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story examines how nationalistic grief and historical trauma influence domestic peace. It offers a nuanced view of memory through the haunting presence of a deceased relative.

Does Solitaire include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no documented evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities playing a central role in the narrative arc.

Present on Screen

Provides a significant role in driving the story to the female protagonist, positioning her as a central decision-maker.
Explores complex themes of ethnic 'othering' and the impact of geopolitical borders on human connection.
Offers a nuanced portrayal of grief and how historical trauma influences modern domestic life.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-assuming gender matches what was assigned at birth gender expressions.
Does not include characters with visible or invisible disabilities within the central narrative.
The narrative focus remains strictly within traditional familial and sectarian frameworks.

Official Synopsis

Therese, the mayor's wife in a Lebanese village, joyfully prepares for an overnight visit of her daughter's suitor and his parents. She excitedly shares the happy news of the engagement with pictures of her beloved brother who was killed by a Syrian bomb 20 years ago and is still bizarrely present in every corner of her house. Only when the long-awaited guests are at her doorstep, she discovers they are Syrian; this engagement will only happen over Therese's dead body!

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