Waiting for Happiness

Name: Waiting for Happiness
Genre: Drama
Released: 2002-05-19
Rating: 6.5

Drama1h 31m

🍅78%

🍅

78%

Tomatometer

🍿

52%

Popcornmeter

6.5

TMDB

Storyline

Before immigrating to the West, Abdallah travels to the coastal city of Nouadhibou, Mauritania, to visit his mother. Although he grew up there, Abdallah feels anything but at home in his old neighborhood: he can no longer speak the local dialect and he wears western clothes that immediately cast him as an outsider. But, as Abdallah spends time with a young boy and an elderly electrician, he can't help but feel a sense of loss for the life he's abandoning.

Trailers

Details

DirectorAbderrahmane Sissako

ReleasedMay 19, 2002

StatusReleased

Original languageFrench

Budget

Not disclosed

Revenue

$7.4K

Parental guideNot rated

Studios

Duo Films

ARTE France Cinéma

Hubert Bals Fund

Reviews

7 reviews · 6 critics

5 fresh · 1 rotten

V.A. Musetto

RTNew York PostApr 4, 2003

Manages to delight without much of a story.

John Monaghan

RTDetroit Free PressFeb 21, 2003

Though talk in the film often turns to death, Khatra's enthusiasm and love of life keep the movie surprisingly upbeat.

Frank Scheck

RTThe Hollywood ReporterNov 22, 2002

A film that will be best appreciated by those willing to endure its extremely languorous rhythms, Waiting for Happiness is ultimately thoughtful without having much dramatic impact.

David Walsh

RTWorld Socialist Web SiteFeb 16, 2021

The film depicts the economic desperation in an objective and honest fashion. Our heartstrings are not plucked, nor are the intractable conditions minimized.