tom-mackay I came across the book via an entry in a book called "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die", which I have come to trust as a great pointer to entertaining works. The point-of-view in the book is rigidly and relentlessly that of the youngest daughter. And the picture that is painted from Lucia's 5 year old perspectiove is done very simply and lightly, with no deviation into a more adult rendering of the events. There are no "aha" moments, no coming-of-age realizations...just a world-view of a 5 year old girl, where anything and everything is already fantastical and enchanting.Never seen the movie. But looking forward to it, if it can remain faithful to the author's intent, should be very interesting and unique in film.

Philby-3 The tagline for this movie (on the DVD box) "It's not about escape, it's about discovery" would be inspiring if it were true, but I'm not sure 25 year old "Julia" found her time in Morocco as a single mother with two young girls living precariously on occasional cheques from home particularly life-changing. It is the late 60s. "Julia" (played with suitable poise by Kate Winslett) has fled London to Morocco after her painter husband has taken up with someone else. Marrakech is a cheap place to live, but it's a struggle. Her kids Bea and Lucy befriend Bilal (Said Taghmaoui), an acrobat from the Medina who promptly beds Julia. Charming though he is, he turns out to be unreliable. Her efforts to become a follower of Sufi mysticism end in rejection. Eventually Julia and her girls board the fabled Marrakech express, but it is in retreat from the exotic, not in search of it.It seems that Esther Freud, the original author, wrote her more than slightly autobiographical first novel from the point of view of Lucy, the younger child (6 years old in the film) and produced a very interesting book. The film is much more matter of fact, though the locations and cinematography are gorgeous, and Julia's struggle to survive is more obtrusive. It's an interesting country all right but Julia does not belong there.Your correspondent happened recently to be in Morocco, and Marrakech, and was told about this film by some local friends. They liked it because despite the beggars, heat and dust, it portrayed Morocco as a friendly, welcoming place. And so it is, but that does not make it the place for hippy dreamers. Ms Freud's mum settled down in the Home Counties after this experience. Here, Bea, the older girl, wants nothing more than to be "normal', to have a satchel, wear a uniform and go to school like all the other girls, and to heck with exotic Morocco. Lucy, on the other hand, just soaks it all in, and hey, 20 years later writes a promising first novel. Well, maybe Julia's odyssey was not entirely in vain.This film did not do well at the box office, despite the presence of Kate Winslett, and I can think of a couple of reasons (apart from the meaningless title) why not. The story, such as it is, is pretty discouraging and the locations over-relied on. (There are also a few dreadful minor performances). But as a psychological travel film it succeeds quite well, even if not everything is possible in the Moroccan Postal Service, as one brave official claims.Esther Freud happens to be the daughter of the noted British painter Lucien Freud, and hence the great-granddaughter of the great Sigmund, father of psychoanalysis. I mention this only because Julia has a couple of dreams great-granddad would not have had any trouble with, but Lucy's dreams eg the disembodied hand are more intriguing. Perhaps if the director could have approached the story more from Lucy's viewpoint it might have had more impact.

rfertell Interwoven stories focused attention on side plot lines. The mother, the friends and their hosts in there travels who took them in for safety never gave the viewer an indication the kids or mother would be healthy, secure and taken care of where they would be in an alright, safe , healthy environs. There were moments the viewer was becoming quite anxious regarding the plot action, whereby they went in different directions in what we knew were fraught with possible medical, social and sexual dangers. Almost Hitchkockian in the use of the " mc guffin " A plot device was the question... who was taking care of whom. I Started watching and after two minutes I was hooked. Then there was the music. It was so good yet so out of place it gave you a personnal connection to the film and the story. This movie is not to be watched in a cursury manner. To watch this you must put the two hours aside and fall into this film. Twenty years from your friends will be impressed you knew it so well.

cmr12 I really don't understand all the negative feedback about this movie. It's about an English woman who takes her two young daughters to Morocco in a search for the meaning of life. "Julia" is guileless and careless, exposes her children to dangerous situations and people, gets a boyfriend who is a street entertainer and has been in trouble with the law. She wanders here and there, ultimately not really discovering anything at all. The little girls are good actors, and the film is as much about their reaction to this life as it is the mother's vain spiritual quest. The older child just wants to be "normal," and they both try to find a father figure in the boyfriend, who is kind to them, but comes in and out of their lives. I enjoyed all their characters and was interested throughout the film. It is very beautiful to look at and Kate Winslet is gorgeous as always. There is a nude scene in the beginning - I am starting to think she loves them. It is very much a drama, and will probably bore most guys, but I would think most women would enjoy it and appreciate it. Despite the situation, the mother and children really love each other and their interplay is interesting to see.