GRADE: B-
The conflict between the state of Israel and Palestine has been a major issue in Middle Eastern politics for the last 60 years. Released at the AMC Loews Dupont last Friday, "O Jerusalem" traces that conflict all the way back to its catalyst - the May 14, 1948 Declaration of Independence of the state of Israel and the subsequent Arab-Israeli War it incited.
Directed by Eli Chouraqui, "O Jerusalem" brings a story that, while cliché and implausible, carries with it powerful, emotional resonance.
"O Jerusalem" starts slowly in New York City on July 22, 1946, with a feel-good encounter between New York Jew, Bobby Goldman (JJ Feild), and Palestinian Muslim, Said Chahine (Said Taghmaoui). The two enjoy a close friendship until they find themselves drawn to Palestine and the Jewish struggle to establish the state of Israel. Once they arrive, relationships are torn asunder as Bobby finds himself fighting for Israeli independence and Said is swept up in the Palestinian forces.
Unfortunately for "O Jerusalem," the idea of friends finding themselves on opposing sides in wartime doesn't yield much in the way of originality. But even with that cliché, the film forges powerful moments of conflicting loyalties and emotions between friends who become bitter enemies.
The film's clash between Arabs and Jews contains far more drama than action. Sure, there are battle scenes, but they are marked by mismatched music scores, paltry choreography and minimal special effects. "O Jerusalem" would be a sorry excuse for an action-driven war movie if that's all the creators were shooting for.
What "O Jerusalem" lacks in action, however, it more than makes up for in emotion. The mostly unknown actors allow pure feelings that appear not contrived but instead very real.
Of course, the emotional impact is as much a product of the history behind the film as it is of the film itself. The emotion is so raw it appears completely out of control and, at multiple points, appears to have gotten away from the actors.
In conjunction with unrestrained emotion is a plot that is at once implausible and conflicting in its message. Case in point: Eli and Said end up as leaders on their respective sides. Apparently, for this conflict to work, the two friends must become leaders before they can try to kill each other.
As for message, the movie seems desperate in its search for peace. While admirable, the message comes across as pleading. Attempts are made to empathize Jew and Arab alike. However, the movie's reasoning behind the Arab assault on the Jews is never explored beyond a rallying cry: "Drive the Jews into the sea!"
The history of the movie is also hard to understand for those who aren't familiar with it. Those who are familiar only might have recognized Golda Meir (Tovah Feldshuh), a major Israeli political figure who became prime minister in 1969. The only thing wrong with Feldshuh's powerful performance is its lack of identification. Right up until the credits she remains unnamed, able to be identified only by someone previously knowledgeable of Israel's history.
The biggest human element the characters experience is one of grief, as everyone in the film seems to have a sibling, relative or lover die in their arms. These moments, while vivid, are overtly abundant. Many relationships in the film are developed just so the character can have someone to weep over.
"O Jerusalem" is wrought with emotional history and vivid personal conflict. It's a must-see film for those interested in the formation of Israel; still, it has an underdeveloped message that those unfamiliar with the conflict will have difficulty understanding.
