The Embassy in the Building

El Sefara Fel Omara
(The Israeli) - The Embassy in the Building


Or

“Israeli Embassy is taking over my House” in Cairo.

I’ve seen the movie today. Labeled as a Comedy, some says it’s a come back for Adel Emam to the “Top”.

From the time I heard about the Movie, I questioned, was it about 10 or 15 years late? I guess. Better Late than Never. Or Better Never? Why Now?
What Happened to the “Yaqoobian Building”, Another Movie that was in the making and was supposed to show this summer?
Will get to these questions later …

The Plot is about an Egyptian Womanizer “Top Notch” Petroleum Engineer who works in the UAE (Adel): Sherif Khairy. He gets caught as he tries to sleep with his Boss’s wife. He is Fired and he goes back to Egypt after Twenty some years. During his stays in the Gulf Oil country, he bonds with a Palestinian youngster who wanted to go back to his homeland “Palestine”. The youngster (Eya~ad) often talk politics to Sherif who Knows almost nothing about ME or Palestine Politics. When Sherif arrives to his flat overlooking the Nile, he finds out that the Israeli Embassy is next door to his house. As he was chasing one of his ladies, he accidentally gets involved with “anti-normalization” with Israel politics. The Movie goes on with comic “Push & Pull” situations with the Egyptian authorities, the Israeli ambassador, and the Egyptian Society at large as he swings from a national hero to a despised traitor. Three & ½ stars and fun to watch.

Few things I’d like to add:

- It’s a sad reminder of people I know who really do NOT give a damn about this important subject. They are successful and educated folks. Very Very low sense of political Intelligence. Often opportunists and selfish.
- Adel Emam is back, flirting with the Egyptian authorities and the power establishment just before the election or (the bid for more 6 years). The Film makes the authorities (via it’s personal) looks a bit closer than it really is on this Subject of normalization of r ations with Israel.
- Metaphorically there were many nice touches in the film between the two extreme: A dying social left appeared like it was leading the anti normalization pack but still live the past time and smell bad, and a violent Islamic extremism who also wanna blow away the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, but fails. The rest of the society is either indulging in getting high, drunk, or chasing it’s selfish opportunistic direct benefits. The Womanizer, chasing his catches. The Lawyer chasing popularity and fame. A husband who is occupied by his family problems. An old friend chasing money businessing with the Israeli ambassador.
- The Security apparatus securing the Building almost absent during a national football game. Almost Typical of What goes on. Good Laughs are also extended when the authorities goes out of it’s ways to offer services repairing and cleaning up Sherif’s Flat.
- The ambassador pressure Sherif and force him to let the embassy use his reception area for the extra guests, they end up occupying the whole house, even his own Bedroom.
- When Sherif learns of the Death of his Palestinian friend youngster , He gets angry, Superficially flips, but the good sincere acting by Adel Emam makes up for it.
- Funny, but revealing is the position of Adel Emam, regarding Street Demonstrations in Egypt Nowadays as the film was almost provoking “Street Demos” but for a different subject & that is flirting.