Strong Israeli drama
My review was written in August 1992 after watching the film at a Times Square screening room.
Amos Kollek takes a fresh look at the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian crisis in "Double Edge". Strong thesping by Faye Dunaway should focus attention on this interesting indie production.
Dunaway portrays a reporter for the fictional New York Herald who gets a three-week assignment in Israel. Determined to impress her bosses back home with front page stories, she hits the streets of Jerusalem and Arab towns on the West Bank in search of high-profile interviews and breaking news.
Befriended by a novelist (played by director Amos Kollek) in the Israeli army reserves, he gets her an interview with his uncle, Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek (director's real-life dad).
As an American disillusioned by Israeli policy of recent years, Dunaway takes a pro-Palestinian slant on several stoies involving Iaraeli reprisals in Intifada incidents, running afoul of the government censor.
Episodic film contains interspersed interviews by the reporte with real-life figures, from the militant Rabbi Meir Kahane (murdered in New York shortly after filming here) to the familiar Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi. This "witnesses" technique adds verisimilitude and balance to the film but detracts from the forward narrative thrust.
Kollek's low-key lead role makes for an effective foil to Dunaway's hard-driving performance. Her casting is something of a coup, combining glamor, the otherness of a waspish American star and the gung-ho willfulness she displayed in "Network".
Kollek unfortunately fumbles a key subplot in the final minutes. Dunaway finds out that she's gotten a story all wrong damning Kollek for hurting an Arab child he in fact aided as a Good Samaritan. It's too late to pull the story from her next edition. The film ends before Kollek's character discovers the trashing, and the viewer is cheated out of the expected "Absence of Malice" Paul Newman/Sally Field-like confrontation.
Instead, the chilling finale literally thrusts the gut issues of the Arab/Israeli stand-off in the viewer's face. Blase to danger, Dunaway finds herself alone on a remote road in a car being rocked back and forth by angry Arab kids. Pulling a gun out of the glove compartment, she's suddenly at ground zero, propelled by her own survival instincts.
Low-budget production benefits from on-location lensing and Kollek's decision to avoid thriller cliches and stage even the most violent scenes against idyllic, sunny day backdrops. Supporting cast, especially Arab actor Mohammand Bakri as a duplicitous militant for the Palestinian cause, is convincing.
Amos Kollek takes a fresh look at the ongoing Israeli/Palestinian crisis in "Double Edge". Strong thesping by Faye Dunaway should focus attention on this interesting indie production.
Dunaway portrays a reporter for the fictional New York Herald who gets a three-week assignment in Israel. Determined to impress her bosses back home with front page stories, she hits the streets of Jerusalem and Arab towns on the West Bank in search of high-profile interviews and breaking news.
Befriended by a novelist (played by director Amos Kollek) in the Israeli army reserves, he gets her an interview with his uncle, Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek (director's real-life dad).
As an American disillusioned by Israeli policy of recent years, Dunaway takes a pro-Palestinian slant on several stoies involving Iaraeli reprisals in Intifada incidents, running afoul of the government censor.
Episodic film contains interspersed interviews by the reporte with real-life figures, from the militant Rabbi Meir Kahane (murdered in New York shortly after filming here) to the familiar Palestinian spokeswoman Hanan Ashrawi. This "witnesses" technique adds verisimilitude and balance to the film but detracts from the forward narrative thrust.
Kollek's low-key lead role makes for an effective foil to Dunaway's hard-driving performance. Her casting is something of a coup, combining glamor, the otherness of a waspish American star and the gung-ho willfulness she displayed in "Network".
Kollek unfortunately fumbles a key subplot in the final minutes. Dunaway finds out that she's gotten a story all wrong damning Kollek for hurting an Arab child he in fact aided as a Good Samaritan. It's too late to pull the story from her next edition. The film ends before Kollek's character discovers the trashing, and the viewer is cheated out of the expected "Absence of Malice" Paul Newman/Sally Field-like confrontation.
Instead, the chilling finale literally thrusts the gut issues of the Arab/Israeli stand-off in the viewer's face. Blase to danger, Dunaway finds herself alone on a remote road in a car being rocked back and forth by angry Arab kids. Pulling a gun out of the glove compartment, she's suddenly at ground zero, propelled by her own survival instincts.
Low-budget production benefits from on-location lensing and Kollek's decision to avoid thriller cliches and stage even the most violent scenes against idyllic, sunny day backdrops. Supporting cast, especially Arab actor Mohammand Bakri as a duplicitous militant for the Palestinian cause, is convincing.
- lor_
- Aug 2, 2023