The Black Tulip

The film is a deeply heartfelt experience that addresses the struggles of everyday people in a strange land most of us know nothing about. You will not go away unmoved. See it, and learn something.

The voices in Black Tulip declaim themes of renewed hope and freedom, while the plot's grand gestures too often fall flat.

Emphasizing local color but often unconvincing in its depiction of social customs.

There are good intentions here, but too little nuance.

The Black Tulip is noteworthy for its existence alone - and not, unfortunately, for much else.

The plot, however, comes with twists you can spot as far off as a Himalayan peak. The dialogue is heavily expository, and the actors are not up to the task of breathing life into characters meant to symbolize the Spirit of the Afghan People or the Nature of Evil.

Newlyweds are slaughtered, a child kidnapped and a suicide bombing foiled, all of it advanced by chunks of clumsy dialogue and embarrassingly labored acting.