Review of Hideous Kinky (1999) by Hans J. E — 22 Jun 2010

For a film about a hippie single mother from London stuck in the 1970s Morocco with two young children Hideous Kinky is surprisingly dull. The production design is positively gorgeous, the cast are superb -- especially the two little girls -- and the cinematography is outstanding: there are shots in this film so beautiful I was stopping and rewinding the DVD to see them again.

However, the film lacks either purpose or heart -- one has to be there if the other is to be substituted with pretty pictures. Overall, Hideous Kinky is nearly a miss, only saved by the filmmakers' decision to shoot on location in Marrakech, Oumnast and Medina and cinematographer John de Borman's handiwork.