Jewboy

This interesting film covers a largely neglected subject matter: the Jewish experience in modern day Australia. Ewen Leslie gives a strong performance as Yuri, a young Jew who returns to Sydney for his father's funeral. This event causes Yuri to question his faith and he decides to give up his father's dream for him to become a Rabbi and finds work as a taxi driver instead. The film then explores Yuri's relationship with his religion and his awakening sexuality.

Tony Krawitz has crafted an intelligent film and treated his subject matter with much sensitivity. Australian viewers will particularly enjoy the stylised way in which locations are presented. It is no small feat to transform the shiny surrounds of Bondi into the gloomy, brooding place we see in the film.

My only real criticism of the film is the stereotypical nature of some of the supporting characters. Yuri's grandmother is yet another example of an old, meddling Jewish woman whose main priority in life is feeding people. Sarita, the Fijian taxi driver, is another character that feels underdeveloped. It's quite obvious that the supporting characters are simply there to reflect Yuri's journey and development. The blame for this might lie, however, with the film's short 50 minute running time.

All in all, this film represents an intriguing new voice in Australian cinema. Recommended!