Although the film looks and sounds similar to a soap opera, the story line digs deep into the pockets of poverty and reveals life inside Midaq Alley through the perspective of three characters; Don Ru, Alma, and Susanita. Gender issues revolving around sexuality and the machismo are shown through Don Ru. In the beginning of the film, we see Don Ru scold his son, Chava, for seeming "too gay" with his friend Abel because Chava is spending too much time with Abel when he was supposed to be working at his father's bar. As the film progresses, Don Ru becomes intimate with a young sales boy while his machismo shifts to envelope his anger and resentment towards his wife and disapproving poet friend. Don Ru does not represent financial poverty but the lack of true sexual and self identity.<br /><br />Gender roles are made apparent through men's domino games at Don Ru's bar where women are portrayed as dull, boring, and bothersome. Alma is the gaze of men in the film because she is young and vibrant, however, that is all she is allowed to be; an object of men's desire. Being raised in poverty, she is drawn to money and a better life but this path takes her to prostitution, drugs, and the loss of her true love.<br /><br />Susanita represents poverty on many levels; class status, gender, and physical traits which prohibit her from finding a companion or being taken seriously by her society. Although Susanita is not wealthy, she does have the means to help characters along the way, including herself. When she conforms to societal physical standards and gets major dental work, she is finally able to obtain a companion and establish herself in the community, which of course eventually takes a dark turn.<br /><br />Midaq Alley is a dark comedy that intertwines the life of numerous characters; all connected to each other in some way, showing many levels of poverty and the loss of hope with a splash of bad luck in poor towns like Midaq Alley.