“What Mary Didn’t Know” is a lighthearted Greek, French and Swedish co-production.
Mary is cruising with her Swedish family in one of those floating hotels. The ship is the NEOROMANTICA with more seniors than you can shake a stick at. Mary’s father complains in the ship’s dining room there is salami in his Spaghetti Carbonara with his wife replying as a cheapskate you get what you pay for! At her father’s request she returns the plate to the kitchen asking for an unsalamied dish. Her eyes catch a young prepper and waiter Abdel Belhacem of Algerian descent.
Mary is smitten and sneaks out of her cabin in the early morning in her skimpy sleepwear finding Abdel and the young and innocent Mary is not so innocent anymore. Not understanding Abdel’s French she pays the price and is wounded in love. She queries to the mythical bird from an Arabian folktale that knows everything if love always hurts. What does the bird reply? Plug your ears.
While a romcom there are priceless satirical scenes lambasting “cruise culture” or lack of culture altogether. A classic scene is “Greek themed night” with the senior, mostly women as their husbands all die first, drinking Love Boatish cocktails such as Marriage Margarita or Forever Wedding Date and smashing plates on the floor while dancing the sirtaki.
Not only is the film light it is mostly trite.
The director is Konstantina Kotzamani.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 64/100.
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