‘Rose’ Review: Françoise Fabian Plays a Jewish Widow Hesitantly Exploring Life
Jay Weissberg Actress and now debuting director, writer and composer Aurélie Saada pours a tremendous amount of personal nostalgia into “Rose,” a feature steeped in love for her North African Jewish roots, from music (all written by Saada) to food — the credits even include her recipe for “makroud,” a date-filled cookie. The film stars Françoise Fabian as a recent widow hesitantly engaging with the world while emerging from under her children’s straightjacketing concerns, and though the storied actress’ personality offers moments of charm and occasional depth, a weak, cliché-riddled script reduces almost everyone to a maximum of two characteristics.