I rented this movie because it won the Independent Spirit award for best foreign film and since I can be such a sucker for foreign movies, I threw it into my Netflix queue.
Said and Khaled are lifelong friends living in the Palestinian west bank. They are chosen by their resistance group to be the suicide bombers that will enter Tel Aviv and respond to an attack by Israel on Palestine. When the Israeli army finds out, the escape back into Palestine and are separated. The resistance suspects betrayal and Suha, a foreign-raised daughter of a martyr helps Khaled find Said before the resistance finds him first.
I have to admit that this is the first time I’ve really heard about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from the Palestinian side of things. Said explains in the film that his father was a collaborator and was therefore executed by the resistance. This he blames on Israel whom he says is the oppressor yet is claiming the role of victim. This, he says, turns good people into murderers. Through Suha, the film rejects the suicide bombers actions yet sympathizes with their plight. Palestine is in ruins from countless bombs. There is a subtheme of water filters that everyone uses to protect against the pollution from the Israeli settlements. This is contrasted to Tel Aviv where buildings scrape the sky and models advertise cell phones on billboards.
The acting in the movie is amazing. Camera movement is minimal and several times the shot is locked down for the duration of the scene allowing it to be completely controlled by the acting. The final shot is haunting and will stay with you long after the credits are through.
Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language
[rating:5]