maggies-111-174365
I stuck with this movie, even though I found Chloe's indecision and helplessness annoying at times -- I guess she was supposed to symbolize the idea that both sides in the conflict are equally deserving of our compassion and understanding, and I don't feel this way at all. The Palestinians have been an occupied, oppressed people for generations, and Israel is ethnically cleansing them in an attempt to take over all of historic Palestine...The main reason I'm writing this review, however, is confusion about the ending (here comes the spoiler...): the film makes it look as though Chloe has smuggled something in a black bag (like a bomb) into Israel. It looked like she left it on the bus, and I started waiting for an explosion. Then it turns out that Rand's the suicide bomber, apparently having masqueraded as an Israeli, even down to wearing the same navy blue nail polish as Ava. It must be easier than I thought to get through the checkpoints...And why make it look like Chloe's got a bomb? Are we supposed to believe that she was tempted to commit a violent act to show solidarity with Rand's family? Probably not, as the cute little Jewish boy who clearly was killed by Rand's bomb is a happy, healthy stand-in for Rand's pathetically sweet son Safi. Thus, all violence is equally horrific and wrong -- again equating the two sides, which is wrong -- they're totally disproportionate, with the bulk of the suffering on the Palestinian side. Two final questions: what kind of an Arabic name is "Rand," and was Chloe supposed to be having a sexual relationship with Rand (and Ava)? Watch Evelyn Brochu in "Orphan Black" (Canadian TV series) -- I like her as an actress. Am just criticizing the writing of this movie.
SnoopyStyle
Chloé (Evelyne Brochu) is a Quebecois doctor working to serve the Palestinian people. She travels in and out of the territories. She makes friends with Rand (Sabrina Ouazani) a pregnant Palestinian girl, and Ava (Sivan Levy) an Israeli soldier.She tries to be a detached worker at first. As her relationships grow deeper, the suffering in the territories start to cause her emotional pain. Pain that she keeps under control until one incident at a checkpoint. They filmed this right on some of the real locations. That made this instantly compelling. The everyday existence do slow the movie down. However it does slowly change Chloé's viewpoint. The ending is a little too abrupt. Her final change over need more than one cause. Maybe there could be more about her life at home before coming over.
steph joe
This was an amazing film!! it actually didn't seem that i was watching a film, but that i was eavesdropping on a woman's life with her friends and her experiences working in Gaza but living in Israel. The normality of taking a bus and clubbing in juxtaposition to the reality in Gaza is breathtaking. How fast the family in Gaza disintegrated through the deaths of loved ones was heartbreaking. The loss of the doctor's innocence and how her world will change forever. One of the other reviewers has clearly not lost a child, a woman who does will say anything through her pain. The film was emotionally draining because it had it all. i give it a 9, and in my books few movies deserve that!
