I rated this movie a 10/10 for technical reasons, but in my heart the rating system does not do it justice. It's so easy to believe in peace when the circumstances are favorable, so difficult to do so when the circumstances, such as we are seeing in Israel and Palestine since the death of Rabin, seem to violently prohibit it. This movie throws probabilities to the wind and makes the need for right action clear.
Nonviolence, a concept all too often shoved aside by a media industry that thrives on negativity, is the focus of discussion here. Both Israelis and Palestinians pitch in with their hearts and minds. We hear their stories. We see them working together. We see them juxtaposed to the horrific violence that happens around them, whether it be the Israeli Defense Force occupying Palestine or Hamas refusing to accept anything short of sticking it to Israel. It's a despairing picture, but it paradoxically also inspires hope this way.
As far as novel material and current events go, the movie doesn't proffer up anything new. But it's not trying to. It's simply saying "This is what's happening and this is what needs to change." It's not afraid to touch upon sensitive details, such as who says what and who has done which. It acknowledges the atrocities committed on both sides of the conflict and the pain and suffering that result. It also points out that this acknowledgment is necessary, for we cannot solve problems without first recognizing them.
This is more than a movie; it's a call to dialogue and action. I for one was eager to listen. It asks us, and as the writer of this review I ask as well, what do you think will happen if things keep going the way they are, and will it be worth it?
