Cairo Time

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Cairo Time

PG,

2010,

1h 28m,

Drama/

Romance

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Watchlist

81%

79 Reviews

Tomatometer

62%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

81%

Tomatometer

79 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

With some time off from her job as a magazine editor, New Yorker Juliette (Patricia Clarkson) decides to share a holiday with her husband, who works for the United Nations. Upon arriving in Cairo, however, she finds he's stuck in Gaza, and he sends his former bodyguard, Tareq (Alexander Siddig) -- now relocated back in Cairo to work at his family business -- to act as her guide around the city. Soon Juliette finds herself captivated by both the city and her companion.

Critics Consensus

Though potentially too slowly paced for some, Cairo Time lingers long after the closing credits, largely due to a wonderful performance by Patricia Clarkson.

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Peter Rainer

Christian Science Monitor

Jan 3, 2011

B

The lovely twilit moments in this movie stay with one, and that summoning them up in your mind is like slowing down time.

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Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

Sep 2, 2010

3/4

Clarkson lights up Ruba Nadda's stately drama Cairo Time like the moon on a summer night, making every moment luminous with quiet, resigned longing.

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Calvin Wilson

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Aug 27, 2010

2.5/4

What it has going for it, however, is a strong performance from Clarkson, who has become one of the more reliable character actors in independent film.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 9, 2023

2.5/4

Comparing Cairo to two would-be lovers that roam about in the splendor and complication of the city itself was a lovely idea from Ruba Nadda. It’s a perception that’s both romantic and perhaps a little naïve.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

Jul 14, 2022

Cairo Time is an Egyptian pastime in which absolutely nothing happens. [Full review in Spanish]

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Jun 12, 2020

You may never see Cairo the same way again after it plays itself in Ruba Nadda's low-key thwarted romance.

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Leia S

Jul 16, 2018

I've always liked Patricia Clarkson because her performances are understated but heartfelt and poignant, as she demonstrates in this film. It's a quiet moment out of time, especially for a lady who thinks a new love with a handsome younger man is really out of the question, but they do share a small space of time out of time to acquaint themselves with what might have happened if things were not as they are. In the end, the one you feel sorry for is the younger man, slighted in love before, who until now had accepted that his life would be by himself, but attracted by a woman from another culture whose quiet dignity and understanding make him realize what he's missed, and when their time out of time is over with the return of her husband, he feels alone in a way he had not felt alone before.

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Dec 28, 2017

This movie's subtle beauty and sly romance stir the passion of my soul. I soo wish they would make a sequel their chemistry is magnetic. Such a lovely movie.

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Ruba Nadda

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Patricia Clarkson

Juliette Grant

Alexander Siddig

Tareq Khalifa

Elena Anaya

Kathryn

Tom McCamus

Mark

Amina Annabi

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Synopsis

With some time off from her job as a magazine editor, New Yorker Juliette (Patricia Clarkson) decides to share a holiday with her husband, who works for the United Nations. Upon arriving in Cairo, however, she finds he's stuck in Gaza, and he sends his former bodyguard, Tareq (Alexander Siddig) -- now relocated back in Cairo to work at his family business -- to act as her guide around the city. Soon Juliette finds herself captivated by both the city and her companion.

Director: Ruba Nadda
Producer: David Collins, Daniel Iron
Screenwriter: Ruba Nadda
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Foundry Films
Rating: PG (Smoking|Mild Thematic Elements)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 6, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.6M
Runtime: 1h 28m

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