marincat Blog

Under discussion:

Campfire  (2004)

I have mixed feelings about this award winning film from Israel directed by Joseph Cedar.  Set in 1981 during a time when settlements were being organized in the West Bank, there is something lacking in the accurate depiction of these troubled times.

Before continuing, I must point out that the one major distraction of this film is in the rapid use of subtitles.  I found myself trying to follow the subtitles only to realize that it was a battle I would not win.  While this is not directly related to the nature of the film itself, it is an integral part of a person’s ability to understand the dynamics of conversation and I believe that some of the essential dialogue was missed.  With any foreign film, the integration of subtitles is key to the ability to make the film whole.

Rachel Gerlik is a 42 year old recently widowed mother of two young daughters dealing with the turmoil of being a single woman in a society that holds this type of woman in disregard.  It is well exemplified in the rather humorous account of attempting to sell her late husband’s car. When prospective buyers call and ask for the man of the house, all sorts of excuses are made for his absence, other than the reality that the man is dead. 

Rachel, played by Michaela Eshet, finds herself in a quandary as to what to do with her life.  She is self-absorbed with her fate and has literally detached herself from her two daughters, whose lives are in upheaval.The underlying theme of this film is the attempt of each of the characters to fit in, to fill a void in their lives.  Rachel is determined to become a part of a Zionist settlement in the West Bank, making a case to Motke (Assi Dayan), the headstrong settlement leader.  While at first one is persuaded to believe that he is her ally, it becomes apparent that he is not at all comfortable with a single woman being part of the new settlement.  His wife, Shula (Idit Teperson) steps in to find a suitable man for Rachel which will in turn make her more acceptable to the settlement.Her two suitors are Yossi, a depressed bus driver who has all but given up on life and Moshe, a pompous cantor, make for an interesting contrast in possible mates for Rachel. 

Mosh Ivgy is Yossi and his portrayal is the highlight of the film.  His dialogue is sparse, but his kindness and honesty are irresistible. 

Maya Maron is Esti, the rebellious eldest daughter, who believes her mother is insane.  The development of her character in the film is lacking and at times, her role becomes unessential in the connection between family members.  She is involved with a young man and her only goal in the movie is to find a place where they can have privacy.  Her mother’s bizarre reactions serve to further alienate the two of them to the point that one has to wonder if they will ever reconcile and have a normal relationship.

Tami, the younger daughter, well acted by Hani Furstenberg, has decided that she is going to be happy.  There are a number of obstacles in her way and most notably, her crush on a young man from the tenements, Rafi.  Oshri Cohen plays the well-meaning boy caught between his interest in Tami and his allegiance to his gang.  Rather than remaining at the sanctioned bonfire, Tami ventures over to the gathering where Rafi is and finds herself the victim of sexual advances and actions.  What actually transpires is unclear both as a result of the audience not being privy to the experience as well as Tami’s reluctance to discuss the event with anyone. As a result of her innocent actions, her mother’s chances of being a part of the new settlement are compromised.  Graffiti is cruelly plastered on the walls, the people are talking, and an innocent girl is branded with an unjust title.

Rachel’s ultimate decision to confront life head-on leads to an unfortunately contrived ending to the film.  Her decision to abandon the quest for acceptance in the settlement, embrace the kindness and honesty of Yossi, and the reconciliation with her daughters all come together in rapid fire succession.  The happy ending comes as a far too simplistic result of many actions that remain unresolved.  A family is redefined, but not in a credible manner consistent with the initial parts of the film.Too much emphasis was placed on the first three quarters of the film and very little on the finale.  It was too compacted and as a result, there were no ties to the end result.  While going into detail regarding the last portion of the film might have made it overly long, I found myself wondering what happened to have such an eventual outcome.

Speaking of wondering, I was drawn to the fact that most of the people were wearing green.  I am aware of the fact that green is a sacred color for Muslims, but that certainly doesn’t relate to this Israeli film.  I attempted to find a correlation between this color and the Jewish people, but have been unable to get any accurate information.The fact that I was consumed with this aspect of the film shows that I was not so much into the film but rather the little oddities that piqued my curiosity. 

All in all, it was a good enough film but I think it would have been far more entertaining if the emphasis was on the actual Left Bank settlement and less on the hormonally driven lives of the central characters.Filmmovement.com

Under discussion:

Marion Bridge  (2003)

One of the most often filmed themes is of a family in crisis.  What is unique about the film Marion Bridge is the manner in which it is dealt with by the director, Wiebke von Carolsfeld and the amazing cast.  The film centers around 3 sisters, Agnes, played by Molly Parker, Theresa, played by Rebecca Jenkins, and Louise played by Stacy Smith.  The other film character is Joanie, played by Ellen Page, a teenager working in a gift shop in town. Agnes, the wild, free spirt, returns home from Toronto when her mother, Rose (Marguerite McNeil), is hospitalized.  Agnes, notorious for her history of swooping in, causing chaos, and then leaving the remaining family to sort through the uprising, is the central character in this film.

The most notable aspect of this film is not what is known, but what is revealed as time goes on, in a very subtle manner.  Obsession haunts the lives of each of the characters.  The eldest sister, Theresa is obsessed with her husband who has left her for another woman.  Louise, the middle sister who has lesbian tendencies, is obsessed with television.  Agnes is mired in the world of physical addiction, and the young girl at the gift shop.

The chemistry between each of the characters is well acted and as the long held secrets are creatively revealed, the audience is made painfully aware of the magnitude of the events that have shaped the lives of these women.  The colors in the film, mostly pastel shades of pink and green lend to the atmosphere of the lack of clarity in the lives of the sisters.  While each of them are working towards a healing process in their own lives, that very act is bringing them together albeit with trepidation and moments of humor.

After the passing of their mother, they embark on the ultimate journey to confront their father.  Wiebke's most powerful moment of the film is one with little dialogue.  Nothing needed to be said other than the exchange of looks between a daughter who was molested and the father responsible for it.

While this film was engaging in the sense that it made me think, made me figure out what had transpired in the lives of these women to bring them to the place they were at, there were times when it became too drawn out.  That being said, I would still recommend seeing it because it conveyed a total image of the starkness of emotions, the raw power of negative life experiences on the lives of these women, and the creative ability of a director to work within a limited scope and yet hit the nail on the head in her method of exemplifing the reality of life.

Under discussion:

Tokyo Boshoku  (1957)

This film by Yasuijiro Ozu was not a great success at the time it was screened in 1957, but has become one of his greatest films in the years since.  It is rarely shown and of course overshadowed by many of his more popular works.

It's winter, cold and the final black and white film my Ozu.  The main character, Shukichi is played by Chishu Ryu who you should all be familiar with.  He has 2 daughters, Takako and Akiko who both live with him.  The premise is that their mother is dead and he is the lone parent trying to deal with his eldest daugther who has left her husband and the younger daughter who, unknown to Shukichi, is pregnant and unwed. 

Normally I would go into detail about the film, but in this case, it really should be seen without plot lines explained.  Suffice to say that there are trains, death, discovery, surprise and sorrow in this visually gorgeous film.  Using his trademark waist high camera view, Ozu captures the unspoken, heartbreaking elements of each of the characters.  It is based on his usual family dynamics but this time with a bit of a different spin.  Generally he is kind to the elder characters in his films, but in this case, Shukichi is deeply hurt in an unforgiving manner.  The setting of winter, the deep sadness of the film, and the incredible final scene make this my favorite film of his and I highly recommend you see it.

To the best of my knowledge, it is only available on DVD as part of the Eclipse set by Criterion.  Possibly it is available for rental.  If you love Ozu and you haven't seen this one....run out and see it!