Desperation prompts some men to do some of the most ridiculous things, putting them at serious risk of not only causing harm to themselves but also to others. The spirits of Coen Brothers' "Fargo" and Jules Dassin's "Night and the City" loom large in Saudi Arabia's "Mandoob" (Night Courier) — a darkly comic crime drama written and directed by newcomer Ali Kalthami. In the opening, we find its protagonist, Fahad, feeling trapped inside his own vehicle, a pressure cooker situation made more unbearable by what follows later, and then returning to the events that started it all.
Whether inside the car or not, Fahad has been feeling stifled for a while. Fired from a call-centre job due to reasons of his own making — he is restless to begin with, and doesn't do a good job at handling the triggering situation. Already burdened by multiple responsibilities, the financially underprivileged man, who must care for an unwell father and divorced sister, becomes desperate to make a quick buck and looks for ways to make that possible. Opportunity presents itself in the form of a godown housing contraband liquor. Fahad makes the tough choice: he decides to turn thief, with the intention of selling them to willing customers. Adding to this complication is his "honest" gig as a delivery partner working the night shift.
But "Mandoob" doesn't paint Fahadh as a completely black character. He invites us to ask the question: What would you do if you were in the shoes of a man struggling to make progress in a society that's rapidly modernising around him — a society marked by growing indifference. The emotionally complex narrative is structured in such a manner that allows enough space for depth and ambiguity — and a significant amount of dark humour without letting it meddle in areas that require a sombre tone, where tension cannot be diffused by a lighthearted approach.
For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East
Ali Kalthami's commendable filmmaking, while not reaching the heights of the aforementioned two examples, doesn't attempt to emulate the raw and minimalist aesthetic of other celebrated Middle Eastern filmmakers such as Asghar Farhadi, Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi, or Mohammed Rasoulof. There is a noticeable attempt to give the film a cinematic, neo-noir sheen, employing enough contrast with the help of mood-establishing colours, as well as artificial light and shadows, to not only enhance the imagery but also to emphasise Fahad's growing sense of isolation and convey his inner turmoil.