Turns out life isn't one big party after all

After two months of one disastrous movie release after another, it's great that a decent Arabic film has finally hit UAE theatres this week.

We're talking about director Sameh Abdel Aziz's Cabaret, which was a huge hit in Egypt last summer, and features some of the biggest names in Arabic showbiz, including Khaled Al Sawi, Edward, Salah Abdullah, Joumana Murad, Dunia Samir Ghanim, Ahmad Bedir and Fathy Abd El Wahab.

With a script by acclaimed writer Ahmed Abdullah, Cabaret is set in an area in Cairo known for its seedy nightlife. Most of the film takes place inside a club called, you guessed it, Cabaret. Anything and everything is allowed there and as long as the action – much of it illegal – takes place inside the venue and stays there, the police don't get involved.

The story follows the lives of several people and how they're all interconnected with one another. Some characters work in Cabaret, while others just simply hang out at the nightspot.

There's club owner (Abdullah), who is obsessed with making as much money as possible and does not care what harm it brings to his family, including his brother (Alkidwani) who also works in the club. Syrian actress Murad plays an only daughter who secretly works at the club as a dancer to pay for her mother's expensive hospital treatment. She also takes in a friend (Ghanim) after she is forced to escape her abusive stepfather.

Then there's the case of former best friends-turned-singing rivals, played by Al Sawi and Edward, who spend their time hogging the limelight and fighting over who gets more stage time.

Finally, Badir plays a waiter at the club, who serves drinks to clients, then prays during his breaktime. When quizzed by a friendly customer, played by Wahab, Badir discovers the only reason he's still at Cabaret is because it's the only job he has ever known. Wahab's character attempts to convince him to quit for more than one reason; reasons that slowly unfold throughout the duration of the film to reveal a very impressive ending. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how well this movies pans out throughout the 90 minutes.

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