Navigating life as a singleton can be quite a challenge – for some, the fierce independence that comes with fully being in control of your narrative can be celebrated, while others will view it as a shortcoming, with the failure to attract a potential partner being considered a flaw, and something that should be immediately rectified. For the characters in Single, Married, Divorced (Arabic: يلا عقبالكن), the distinction is quite difficult for them to make. This is what writer Nebal Araqji and director Elie Khalifé intended to explore in this lovely and very funny story of three modern women living in contemporary Beirut and their experiences approaching middle-age with very little sign of a partner on the horizon, which causes quite a stir within their community, especially amongst the older generation that view success as being able to get married and settle down in a simple, domestic life. It’s not a particularly complex film, and it is about as predictable as a romantic comedy can get – but the combination of very funny scenarios, wonderful performances and a story that is a lot more profound than it appears to be on the surface creates quite an endearing experience, a film that takes a stern but compassionate look at single life, and how it can sometimes be challenging to fully embrace one’s independence, especially when there is always the urge to find some kind of companionship, whether it be for the attention having a partner can bring, or just having someone with whom you can pass the time, which is essentially something many people aim to achieve in some degree, even if many of us won’t ever admit to it publicly, especially those who pride themselves on their independence. These are the conversations that simmer beneath the surface of Single, Married, Divorced as it makes its way through a very charming and enticing version of reality.

Single, Married, Divorced represents the kind of film that was never intended to be taken particularly seriously, but instead viewed as just an insight into a particular culture in the form of the day-to-day routine of ordinary people as they go about their lives. Middle Eastern cinema is often centered on more tragic events, with war and despair being regular occurrences in the films that manage to have a global reach – and while it does make sense to explore these timely stories in a way that feels authentic and shines a light on real issues, it can also be quite restrictive, especially since it doesn’t paint the most accurate portrait of all sides of life in places like Lebanon, which are not only defined by tragedy, but have vibrant cultures of their own. It’s doubtful that anyone would consider Single, Married, Divorced to be the most accurate portrayal of the country or its people as a whole, but it is set in a very particular demographic and targeted at a specific group that is looking for something slightly more upbeat, but which still offers some degree of complexity in how the culture is represented. Khalifé never views this story as anything more than a very simple comedy with conversations that circle the search for romance and the challenges that come in maintaining friendships through one’s adult years – and its in this very straightforward, unfurnished approach that the director can weave together a really delightful story, one that never takes its subjects too seriously that they become heavy-handed, but having enough emotional depth to effectively and concisely approach certain issues that they linger with the viewer long after the film has ended, which is not always the easiest achievement.

This film is very much driven by the idea of exploring different lives, focusing on the intersecting routines of a group of ordinary contemporary women that have to not only navigate single life in Beirut, but also come to terms with occupying the ambiguous space between tradition and modernity – they are proud of their origins and the identity it allowed them to express, but they also refuse to be stifled by conventions that force them into marriage, when in reality they view romance as being more important than the status of having a partner. The film explores many of these ideas in great detail, while peppering in many moments of very charming comedy. Credit must be given to the cast, who are all very good in the film, taking on these characters that are essentially thin archetypes in theory, and developing them into strong, powerful individuals that may not be revolutionary, but have enough depth to maintain our attention and keep us invested in the story. Nada Abou Farhat, Darine Hamze, Tania Assi and Julia Kassar form the central quartet, the group of friends who navigate life in their late thirties, which can be quite a challenge for those who are not particularly prepared for a relationship, especially with the general sentiment being that women have an expiry date, after which they are no longer desirable, a belief that this film actively fights against in portraying these characters as alluring, complex women that are not failures for their refusal to settle for the first man that enters their life. They are all quite good, but the standout is Farhat, who steals every scene she is in, bringing so much depth and humour to her character, who may technically be constructed as the comedic relief, but who is developed to be someone whose journey we are genuinely invested in following, much more than the other three, who seem to occupy very similar niches. It’s a strong cast that brings so much nuance to otherwise one-dimensional roles, single-handedly elevating the film far beyond just bland stock characters.

Single, Married, Divorced is a wholeheartedly endearing affair, the kind of upbeat and compelling romantic comedy that hits all the familiar beats, which bring a sense of comfort and joyfulness to a more downbeat series of conversations, which here are rendered as the most compelling demonstrations of the single experience we’ve seen in quite a while, at least in a form as wonderfully entertaining as this, which helps elevate the film to more than just the sum of its parts, which is always a risk when it comes to these very broad comedies that aim to tackle something as massively complex as romance. Single, Married, Divorced is a very funny film, and it smartly doesn’t focus on creating scenarios that are only understandable to those within the culture – the director seems to be aiming to create a film that touches on universal issues, opening the world of this story to a broader audience, in an effort to show that there are certain situations that we all encounter, regardless of our background or individual characteristics. It’s not a film that reinvents the genre or does anything we haven’t seen before (at its best, the film is a pastiche of the mainstream romantic comedies that Hollywood cranks out at a rapid pace everything year), but it has enough heart and humour to make up for the smaller shortcomings, which are otherwise inconsequential in a film such as this. Funny, heartfelt and meaningful in a way that may be surprising to some viewers, Single, Married, Divorced is a delightful diversion that knows its audience and can expand on the world in a way that feels genuine, which is quite rare for a film this enormously conventional.