Watch Here Comes the Rain

Here Comes the Rain is a Lebanese drama film released in 2010. Directed by Bahij Hojeij, the film takes a critical look at Lebanon's civil war and its impacts on a family that attempts to reunite in the midst of the conflict. Hassan Mrad stars as Khaled, a photographer who is desperately trying to find his estranged wife Lamia (Julia Kassar) and daughter Alexandra (Yara Abou Haidar) in Beirut. Along the way, Khaled meets a number of people including a French journalist (Carmen Lebbos) and a taxi driver (Youmna Moussa), who provide him with insight into the realities of the war and the country's troubled history. With its complex characters and insightful commentary, Here Comes the Rain is a powerful examination of a country in turmoil.

The film begins in Beirut in 1983, during the Lebanese Civil War. We are first introduced to Khaled, who is taking photographs of the conflict for an international news agency. After making contact with his brother Ghassan (Kamel El Basha), who is part of the Christian militia, Khaled decides to try to track down Lamia and Alexandra, who have moved to the city's Muslim-controlled west side. Khaled's attempts to find his family are complicated by the deep divisions between the country's various factions. As he meets different people, including members of rival groups, he begins to lose faith in the possibility of reconciliation. However, he also gains a deeper understanding of the country's history, and he realizes that there is value in trying to find common ground.

Throughout the movie, the characters struggle to come to terms with their personal histories and the larger forces that have shaped their lives. Lamia, for example, is haunted by the memory of her father, a Palestinian refugee who died in a Lebanese refugee camp. She struggles to connect with Alexandra, who is growing up in a country that she doesn't quite understand. Likewise, Khaled struggles to reconcile his professional obligations with his role as a husband and father. As he confronts the horrors of the war, he finds himself questioning the purpose of his work and the morality of the media's coverage of the conflict.

What stands out most about Here Comes the Rain is the way in which it manages to be both deeply personal and historical in scope. The film takes a nuanced look at the various factions involved in the conflict, and it explores the ways in which the war has affected different communities. At the same time, it never loses sight of the human toll that conflict takes. The performances are uniformly excellent, and the direction is confident and assured. The film is visually stunning, with its depiction of the city's crowded streets and bombed-out buildings highlighting the devastation left in the war's wake.

Here Comes the Rain is not an easy movie to watch. It depicts brutal violence and scenes of human suffering, and it does not shy away from the darker aspects of the war. However, it is also a hopeful film, one that suggests that even in the midst of conflict, there are opportunities for redemption and growth. Ultimately, the movie is a call for unity and understanding, a reminder that in difficult times, we must come together to support each other and to work towards a better future.