A couple sets out to find the perfect bride for their son, whether their son likes it or not, in this Israeli comedy. Zaza (Lior Louie Ashkenazi) is a graduate student in his early thirties who has finally found the woman of his dreams -- Judith (Ronit Elkabetz), a Moroccan immigrant with a daughter, Madonna (Sapir Kugman), from a previous marriage. Zaza and Judith have similar interests, a great personal rapport, a keen understanding of one another's feelings, and excellent sexual chemistry,
but for Zaza there's one little problem -- his parents. His mother Lili (Lili Kosashvili) and father Yasha (Moni Moshonov) are bound and determined to marry their son to a nice Georgian Jewish girl (who is, of course, a virgin), and they not only disapprove of Zaza's relationship with Judith, they insist on fixing him up on dates as if he isn't in a committed relationship; when that fails to make an impression on Zaza, Lili and Yasha use emotional blackmail against their son, and Lili even goes so far as to confront Judith and insist she stop seeing her son. Late Marriage was shown at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Un Certain Regard series; Lili Kosashvili, who makes her screen debut playing Lili, is actually the mother of the film's writer/director, Dover Kosashvili. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
This terrific film is fueled by several scenes that are shocking -- but not for the reasons you might think. The shocks here come not from the unexpected sensationalism of them but from their bracing humanity and spontaneous, eye-opening rawness.
A highlight of Israeli cinema of the past decade, Kosashvili's impressive feature debut is an extremely powerful film is a tale of family tyranny and intergenerational conflict within a Georgian-Jewish community.
A serio-comic look at marriage that treats issues of love, passion and familial obligations and expectations as more than just excuses for moronic sitcom hijinks.
Unfunny comedy with a lot of static set ups, not much camera movement, and most of the scenes take place indoors in formal settings with motionless characters.
This film feels truly lived in, and guides us without ever feeling manipulative or calculating. The performances are naturalistic and utterly convincing.
Interesting look at ancient traditions in a modern culture and the damage they inflict on all involved. Lior Ashkenazi is excellent.
September 27, 2008
jay nixon
Super Reviewer
An interesting movie! Set upon family honor and traditions, this follows the forbidden love between Zaza and Judith. Zaza comes from a close-knit family that wants nothing but the best for him to marry and begin a family of his own. Zaza abides the wishes of his family, and sets out to find a nice, respectable young
woman to marry but earnestly tries to search for an ideal mate in each and every one. Despite the family choices, Zaza wants to start a life with Judith and her young daughter but the family heavily disagrees. Judith's former marriage and her age is one of several factors that causes a hindrance in their relationship. Great cast- Lior Ashkenzai, Aya Steinovitz, Ronit Elkabetz, and Moni Moshonov. Worth seeing!
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