Last night, I watched the movie Arranged with some friends. It is the story of two new friends - one an Orthodox Jew, one a Muslim - and how they support each other through the process of their arranged marriages.
I enjoyed the movie. It was simple, based more on the development of the characters than the plot, and very well-cast. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it dealt with the subject of arranged marriage in a fair, positive way.
Arranged marriage is such a foreign concept to most Americans, particularly of my generation. The term reeks of subversive control, potential abuse, and relinquished happiness. It is seen as a loss of choice - a subject which this movie deals with in some detail. Ultimately, though, it is left to the viewer to decide if the girls truly sacrificed their personal choice and just "got lucky," or if this tradition actually works as well as their parents claimed it would.
I appreciated that the movie focused on the importance that these girls placed on upholding long-standing, deeply rooted family values. You do not have to be Muslim or Jewish to understand and sympathize with these girls and the challenges that they are facing.
1 comment:
Now that I have kids, the thought of arranged marriages is more appealing! But I absolutely refuse to verbalize (especially in their presence) any matchmaking wishes, from personal experience in my own childhood. I know my kids are way too young to even think about marriage, but it sure would be fun to pick who the other grandparents of my grandchildren would be! You and Nathan are perfect candidates... (I didn't verbalize, just typed!)
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