I expected much more from what turns out to be a rather slight film. Nadine Labaki and the writers deserve major kudos for their positive portrayal of a lesbian in Beirut who is neither miserable nor suicidal, but otherwise its 1970s-style feminism, clichéd characters, and predictable tropes become wearing. The acting is essentially invisible, neither especially bad nor particularly good, which is overwhelmingly due in part to the fact that the women's roles are caricatures and "types" and there's very little room for the actors to move within those constraints. I know I risk heresy by saying so, but Adel Karam (the traffic cop) is actually more rewarding in his small role than almost any of the women. Overall, it's a Lebanese _Beauty Shop_ with less humor and about the same level of sophistication. "Ensemble" movies may have their charm, but they rarely have depth, and this is no exception to the rule.
