Rubik

Review by Courtney Blankenship

The short:

This Libyan drama series follows several characters as they navigate life in Tripoli and face challenges relating to their families, work, criminal gangs, and societal pressure. Marwan, a struggling auto mechanic, meets and becomes romantically interested in Amira, a young student whose mother hopes to marry her to a wealthy man, but the two have other plans. 

The long:

This fictional series follows Marwan, an auto mechanic struggling financially, as he attempts to win over Amira, a young woman whom he hopes to impress by proving that he can provide for her and treat her well despite her mother seeking to wed her to a wealthy man. At the same time, the show follows rival gangs in their quests to gain power and influence through organized crime. The show is set in Tripoli, Libya, however, due to the security challenges involved with filming in Libya, the director, Osama Rezg, chose to film in neighboring Tunisia. The series achieved success in Libya and can be easily watched on YouTube. 

To watch or not to watch:

The series has a kind of nostalgic effect, and I enjoyed the acting, location, and filming techniques. The plot was intriguing, and the characters tended to be relatable in certain aspects. For those looking to watch a quick TV show, this series is available on YouTube and can be an excellent resource for those learning Arabic as the dialogue is entirely in Arabic, and there are English subtitles. I thoroughly enjoyed the series and highly recommend watching it!