The autobiography of a Somalian nomad who was sold in marriage at 13, fled from Africa a while later to become finally an American supermodel and is now at the age of 38, the UN spokeswoman against female genital mutilation.
"Desert Flower," a well-made film that depicts the remarkable life of the model Waris Dirie, manages to be both a classic feel-good story and about as far from a feel-good story as you can get.
– Neil Genzlinger,
New York Times,
18 Mar 2011
rotten:
The broad comedy clashes with the movie's final message.
– Mark Jenkins,
NPR,
18 Mar 2011
fresh:
Waris Dirie is an inspiration, inside and out, and so is this movie.
– Rex Reed,
New York Observer,
23 Mar 2011
rotten:
It has a compelling message and surrounds it with biopic scenes that appear to be brought in from a different kind of movie. The effect is rather unsettling.
– Roger Ebert,
Chicago Sun-Times,
31 Mar 2011
fresh:
Written and directed by German filmmaker Sherry Hormann, it works as well as it does because of the performances she's drawn from a solid cast.