Karaoke

I happened to come across Moshe Rosenthal's "Karaoke" in a neighborhood video store. Not knowing anything about it, I decided to rent it. Quite an impressive story, focusing on an Israeli couple who get into karaoke, only to see it strain their relationship.

The movie addresses topics such as aging and looking for acceptance. The characters feel real as opposed to simply cliches. I don't know if the movie's available on any streaming service, so you will probably have to look for it in a neighborhood video store (there's bound to be one in your city).

I don't know if I would call it the greatest Israeli movie ever, but I do recommend it.

This was certainly the type of film I needed right now.

While it is billed as a comedy drama, I just wasn't expecting this much of a fun vibe to it.

It's a very grounded story with charismatic characters and memorable situations.

There are themes of our addiction of wanting to be accepted, still finding the positives in life at an old age, learning to love the life you already have and the importance of music.

The performances were great value. Both Sasson Gabay and Rita Shukrin had real sweetness and charm to their performances that felt highly engaging and very natural. Both by themselves and together, this was a lot of fun to watch and develop.

A couple of parts on the technical side surprisingly stood out. The lighting was effectively moody and the score and soundtrack was very memorable.

While I feel some parts could have been explored more and certain sub-plots didn't feel fully resolved, this ended up being a very pleasant watch. There's engaging characters and a good amount of comedy that had me laughing fairly regularly.

Whilst it is also funny, there is also an interesting story about old age and recognition. A crowd-pleaser that sadly will probably not get much notice for a mainstream audience. I hope not.

As someone who doesn't enjoy karaoke myself, I was tempted to watch the movie for one reason only: Sasson Gabay. I'm glad I did, because this movie isn't so much about karaoke; it's about wat happens because of karaoke parties.

Meir (Sasson Gabay) and Tova (Rita Shukrun) have been married for 46 years, and they have two grown-up daugthers. Meir is a teacher, an ordinary guy who doesn't talk much or express his feelings. Tova is the opposite, but restrained because of Meir. When they meet Itzik (Lior Ashkenazi) - a wealthy and influential bachelor - everything is about to change.

When Itzik parks Meir in in his parking bay, Itzik apologizes and invites them to his apartment. Tova immediately connects with Itzik, while Itzik seems to have more appreciation for Meir. In Itzik's presence, Tova is like a caterpillar who becomes a butterfly, while Meir is...well, Meir.

After an intimate conversation with Itzik, Meir becomes more confident and slowly starts to transform - and I absolutely loved this character development. As he begins to change, it rubs off on Tova and together they experience feelings they haven't felt in a while.

They become obsessed with visiting Itzik - also individually and for very different reasons. Eventually, as Itzik starts entertaining more guests, they become jealous of his divided attention, and of each other. The film could easily have become very dramatic, but thanks to a lighthearted narration it never does. Sure, there are dramatic moments, but they never outweigh the fun of the movie.

'Karaoke' is a beautifully filmed movie, and carried by good performances and a hauntingly beautiful score. Sasson Gabay is absolutely wonderful in a stunningly sincere performance. 'Karaoke' is an absolute delight! It is a film about self-discovery, and pursuing one's dreams.