“What makes you the perfect candidate for this position?” These words are all-too-familiar to job applicants, yet these are words the main character, Maryam (played by Mila Al Zahrani) never actually hears. Rather, her unintentional thrust into the foyer of politics in Saudi Arabia as a candidate for a municipal government position is almost accidental. Maryam begins to take her bid more seriously as the film progresses, and the audience is brought into the ups and downs of her small and local political campaign.
In this Saudi-Arabian foreign film, viewers unfamiliar with Middle Eastern customs will be struck by the rife cultural elements throughout the film beyond the foreign language of Arabic. The costuming of the film convincingly brings us into the cultural tensions present, from the abaya and niqab, traditional Saudi Arabian dress, worn by the women in the movie to the traditional headdresses and robes worn by the men. Yet, the costumes are symbols of a stronger divide—the divide between the masculine and feminine. This separation is notable to a Western audience, where multiple scenes are composed with consideration to how men and women must be separated according to custom.
The film composes the plot in a similar manner, where Maryam’s father goes to travel on a country tour with his traditional, Middle-Eastern band, while Maryam must learn how to engage in the local political arena on her own. Additionally, the power divide between males and females runs throughout the movie, and we explore what it means for a Saudi Arabian woman to try to run for office in a political sphere dominated by men.
In watching this film, the audience can celebrate how far we have come as a society in 100 years (women gained the right to vote in the United States in 1920) yet see how in many ways, our society still views women as inferior to men. Our culture may not place women in separate rooms for official speaking events, but women will relate to Maryam’s struggle to be taken seriously as a legitimate candidate, both in her professional work as a doctor and her political bid for office.
In conclusion, The Perfect Candidate presents its audience with a new perspective—a feminine perspective—on the struggles women face in Saudi Arabia. The closing of the movie ends on a light but poignant note, bringing closure to the plot while not truly resolving the social struggle Maryam endures. Some viewers may not relate to the cultural elements in the film, but all viewers alike can identify with Maryam’s struggle to pave the way for progress in her community throughout the film. Recommended.