Perfect Strangers – أصحاب… ولا أعز [2022]

أصحاب… ولا أعز is a great remake of the Italian movie of the same name. However, it comes with a huge controversy mainly thanks to its target audience: Middle East & North Africa.

Being the first Netflix original movie from the region comes with a great responsibility. And as a person who was born and raised in that area of the world, this movie is one of the few times where I’m proud of the productions coming out of that part of the world.

Without getting much into the details of the story, it’s about a group of friends who gather for a drink, play a game, and secrets begin to unravel. Each character and actor represent someone in our universal society. However, not everyone in the MENA region likes to talk about those things.

Being Wissam Smayra‘s directorial debut and knowing the quality of movies that come from Lebanon, I wasn’t expecting much. But أصحاب… ولا أعز is beautifully produced with great attention to details. Plus, it helps to have some of Lebanon and Egypt’s best actors: Mona Zaki, Nadine Labaki, and Georges Khabbaz.

Casting aside, what Perfect Strangers exceled at was kickstarting a cultural discussion. Religious figures in the middle east got enraged at some minor scenes enough to ask for a boycott, Netflix is fighting back. Plus, find me a single building in any city in the world that doesn’t have an LGBTQ person. Go, I’m waiting…

Should you watch it?

أصحاب… ولا أعز is a great movie to watch. The story isn’t new, it’s a remake. But you get to see some of the best actors from Lebanon and the region, minus Adel Karam. He’s just not as good as the rest. Another great MENA movie to watch on Netflix would be Listen.

Where can I watch it?

You can stream Perfect Strangers – أصحاب… ولا أعز exclusively on Netflix.