Mariage tardif

I thought this was an interesting film, though it didn't cover as much of the relationship between the guy and his family. As an ethnic Korean male, I can understand family pressure on marriage and to marry someone who will fit in. The good thing about the film was the end, as unlike most Hollywood fare, the ending was very realistic in that it didn't fall into cliche and the like. It presented the probable ending as opposed to the sentimental ending.

Three stars.

I saw Ronit Elkabetz in The Band's Visit and wanted more. I certainly got more in this movie - much more.

Zaza's (Lior Ashkenazi) parents are trying to get him married and he makes the rounds visiting all the eligible females. However, Zaza only wants Judith (Elkabetz), a divorcée with a child. Why wouldn't he? Even his father admits she is hot - and she truly is! The whole family arrives at her apartment and act like complete jackasses in their effort to split them up. They accomplish their mission in an unexpected manner, and Zaza is forced to marry a woman he does not love to make his parents happy.

That's what happens when you are castrated. How is he going to make grandchildren? Elkabetz was magnificent. I want more!

This movie doesn't seem like it should be that fantastic, as the tradition-versus-modernity relationship topic is well-trodden in foreign films to say the least, but I absolutely couldn't take my eyes off of this well-acted, well-scripted work. Zaza's parents steal the show, both comically and tragically as a couple unable to fully confront the "elephant in the room", the re-opening of their own relationship scars caused by witnessing their son's own struggle. Meanwhile Lior Askenazi fills out his role brilliantly as the entangled groom-to-be, whose only escape from his unsolvable dilemma is to sink as deeply as possible into his aloof, impulsive persona. Also, Askenazi's character reminds me uncannily of my friend Mike Goldstein, so Mike, if you're reading this, see this movie immediately! And the same goes for everyone else. Yasher Koach!

While I absolutely loved the movie and found it to be both funny and bittersweet, I write here to differ with other displayed comments. The part of the conservative Georgian community shown in this Israeli movie is most certainly NOT matriarchal. The problems that the male protagonist experiences are NOT due to women controlling the society. The reason his family doesn't want to allow him to be with the woman he loves is because it is a *patriarchal* society, where an older, divorced woman with a child -- no matter how loving, intelligent and beautiful -- is viewed through a sexist lens as damaged goods.

Anyone who watches the early scenes where a 17-year-old girl is trotted out as goods for matchmaking purposes and the two male heads of the family control the proceedings, should realize that this is a patriarchal society. Don't be misled by the fact that the professional matchmaker is a woman and that the hero's mother is a firm believer in sexist customs; if some women didn't hold sexist beliefs, sexism wouldn't exist. Note that the 17 year-old's mother is a widow, but her uncle controls the matchmaking decisions instead of her mother. The male protagonist is harmed by *patriarchal* customs, make no mistake. These customs harm both women and men.

"Late Marriage (Hatuna Meuheret)" makes "Monsoon Wedding" seem like a commercial Hollywood flick in comparison in dealing with a similar theme -- families imposing traditional marriage on an adult son in today's world.

This film is an intense and heartbreaking examination of a Georgian Russian immigrant family pushing tradition on an older son in very modern Israel. Through a very gradual unveiling as we learn more and more about each member of the family and relationships, every character is strongly individually wrought, flaws and all, complex sympathies and all.

The blunt scenes demonstrating traditional relationships are paralleled with extremely frank contemporary ones.

I thought at first that the lack of a soundtrack virtually up until the closing scene was due to writer/director Dover Koshashvili's obvious minuscule budget. Instead the closing band music punctuates a bittersweet, ironic tension-builder as the audience waits anxiously to see how the central figure of Zaza/Dooby resolved his unresolvable philosophical, familial and romantic dilemmas amidst very competitive, strong-willed women.

The sub-titles are sub-par; it's awkward, for example, to translate "Shalom" as peace be with you as it's really more just colloquial hello.

(originally written 5/24/2002)