Mon père mon seigneur

In the alternative ending, Menachem was rescued by two friends: a Christian and a Muslim boy who have been ordered to save the new world in the age of Aquarius via the friendship cube code, and to merge consciousness into a singularity. Abraham grows in knowledge by meeting the three as a team and then dies in his sleep as his soul overcomes his life breath.

It's bigger than nature as we know it, it is more significant than entropy as we see it, it is the active principle, and yet it emerges from both the beginning and end of time. If you believe the soul is eternal and renewed beyond death, morality can be hardened variously. Death gives rise to new life. It is both tragedy and hope, and it is both the seen and the unseen.

This movie can seem a little slow if you are expecting a traditional Western film, but if you watch this film with an open mind willing to enjoy the art of the film-maker, then this film is absolutely phenomenal! After watching this film for the first time, I just sat there in silence, moved into thoughtfulness at its conclusion.

This film is an in-depth character study of an Orthodox Jewish family in Israel. It is told largely through imagery, supplemented with sparse conversations which are in Hebrew with English subtitles. The film follows a few days in the life of this family which demonstrates their fervent devotion to their God and religion. Most of the story is told from the perspective of their young son (again, mostly in silence through his eyes), in a very realistic portrayal of Orthodox Jewish families in Israel.

Though you don't really perceive it until the end, the film is focused around this family's response to their faith meeting tragedy. Much of the imagery and many subtle themes wrap around this central idea.

The film-makers have done an excellent job with this film, in my opinion. Theirs is not a traditional film model, and I really appreciated this. This story is truly a work of art, and it has become one of my favorite movies. It is well worth a thoughtful viewing that will challenge how you live your own faith.

This is my first review, and maybe my last. I mean who cares what I think? So many people on here think their opinions matter. I have to say this little boy is outstanding. This movie about how we look at nature and each other really broke my heart. The movie is just amazing. This is my first review, and maybe my last. I mean who cares what I think? So many people on here think their opinions matter. I have to say this little boy is outstanding. This movie about how we look at nature and each other really broke my heart. The movie is just amazing. This is my first review, and maybe my last. I mean who cares what I think? So many people on here think their opinions matter. I have to say this little boy is outstanding. This movie about how we look at nature and each other really broke my heart. The movie is just amazing.

This movie is all "message". Made in an arty, low-budget format - with a albeit, serious motif of dark yellowish colouring, a muddled but stated viewpoint and protagonists asking for empathy.

It does not work. Yet, the movie isn't bad. The problem is that the story aims to manipulate. It entertains somewhat, at times. And the scenes at the Dead Sea are interesting and germane.

There is one performance - that of the suffering mother, wife stereotype of many religious mothers - here, the proverbial loving one of one boy. She seems to have absolutely no other purpose in life - although the boy is not yet in his teens, both parents seem to be well into mid-life. OK, the father is a well-respected, self-involved, evidently righteous rabbi - with a flock of well attending followers who listen and almost never register a word, comment or view. But, who is she? What was she, before she became a mother? As portrayed, she appears to be so much more.

The Rabbi, Assaf Dayan. He looks tired. Very studious, caring, so involved in his religion. Distracted. To a fault.

The son. Cute. A caricature though of a young, impressionable youth who asks many questions but understands few answers. Unfortunately, the acting is too stilted here, so there is an element of "he doesn't seem real". His non-performance is a drag on the overall movie. Not bad. Not good.

Esther the wife is the heart of the film. Her life is bereft of much outward meaning, contact with others, or anything except for running a little household, reading a prayer book, being very tired for some reason, and showing love to her son and husband. Her husband merits much questioning - but, Esther, seems to be in some sort of rapture, at times. Who knows? A question - at the core of the film - or not.

The film is relatively short - so, ennui hasn't much time to settle. The scenes are fairly quick and pointed. Yet, the parts are better than the whole.

The message doesn't ring true. The Hebrew title is "Summer Holiday"; it has been changed to "My Father, My Lord" in English. Why? Such a discrepancy? The English title basically gives it away, if only it had an (!) exclamation mark at the end .... Then, we might hear Tevye the Milkman breaking into his patterned speech of "Why oh Lord did you have to choose we Jews?" "We pray, we do righteous deeds, we are good. Yet, you persist in all this suffering that you heap upon us! Why not choose some other people? For a century or two, might be a good suggestion? Oh Lord!"

There is a side story of a mother bird and two new babies - more underlying meaning here.

Boring prattle.

Change the name of the movie once more to "Oy Vey - Life Can Be Such A .... Life !". Or something more to the point.

Yet, there is something well worth seeing here. So, despite my low rating - for the dumbness of it all - I recommend this movie, but, don't take it much to heart. Gevalt!