DAMMAM: This charming gem of a movie glistens like a sparkly dress in a Dior shop display window.
Set in London in the 1950s, middle-aged British house cleaner and talented seamstress Ada Harris dusts wealthy homes for a living but soon realizes that her neat life could use a bit of a shake-up.
Through a series of tragic events, she finds herself confronted with crushing loss, until she stumbles upon a custom-made haute couture gown that stops her in her tracks and propels her to go on an adventure.
Played by accomplished award-nominated actress Lesley Manville, Harris’ story is a cautionary tale — but not one you might expect. It reminds us to never stop dreaming and to always seek hope amid grief.
We all deserve to find happiness, even if it is buried like a needle in a haystack. Sometimes, you can be your own needle and stitch your own future.
Based on a book, and adapted to film several times before, this Focus Features movie ticks all the right boxes. Not exactly the typical rags to riches story — this one includes good old-fashioned grit, British wit and elegant French haute couture. The story unfolds in a way that reminds us that we are the masters of our own destiny. Kindness really will win in the end.
It is also about risking in it all by standing up for what is right.
Fans of Netflix’s pandemic hit, “Emily in Paris,” will notice a familiar face: French actor Lucas Bravo, who works at the house of Dior.
Brazilian actress Alba Baptista is perfectly cast as a popular French Dior model with hidden dreams, and the excellent French actress Isabelle Huppert plays a stern and sassy boss lady at work who reveals tenderness at home.
Ada’s best friend is played by Ellen Thomas, a Sierra Leonean British actress who is perfect for the role.
My favorite line in the movie aptly sums it up: “We need our dreams now more than ever.”
Now playing in cinemas across Saudi Arabia. Check your local listings for timings.