The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
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Critics Consensus: A positive and personal Israeli film that offers an understated and thought-provoking vision of the West Bank troubles.
Critic Consensus: A positive and personal Israeli film that offers an understated and thought-provoking vision of the West Bank troubles.
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (6) | DVD (1)
Eran Riklis, who directed and co-wrote with Suha Arraf (they also collaborated on The Syrian Bride), has made a compelling movie that takes its strength from the ground-level picture it gives of the human aspect of the problems in that part of the world.
The two Israelis who take her side are female, which underscores the film's message: a little less machismo might save a lot more than trees.
The pungence of Lemon Tree is in the surreal moments that capture the pervasive unease in Gaza, and in the quiet strength of Abbass' performance.
This is a film about a problem, not a solution, and it's effectively upsetting.
The story, based on a real incident, may be simplistic, but that's the nature of fables. The direction is sure-handed, and the acting is good, particularly by the very appealing Abbass.
A sober-hearted take on the righteous blowback from whittled-away souls, and a movie that invariably rights itself with each return to the beautifully steely gaze of Abbass.
... the result is predictable, the movie is memorable. [Full review in Spanish]
We're told what to think and whom to like in a way that short-circuits the chance for real drama.
A touching tale of forbidden fruit in the Middle East.
En general no me gusta decir que una película es "necesaria" (un facilismo rimbombante en el que suelen caer muchos críticos), pero en este caso debo hacer una excepción.
Abbass's starkly moving performance and the film's closing shots make this metaphor for the unsolvable unforgettable.
The vivid cinematography gives the viewer glimpses of scenic locations throughout Israel. This is a quiet and somber journey that allows lots of time for thought and reflection on the current state of affairs in the Middle East.
Marvellous true story. A story of communication or lack of it across political and religious divides. The neutral viewer can only imagine how this tale would have ended with simple discussion.
Super Reviewer
A most infuriating film, pitting a Palestinian widow against the security forces of the Israeli defense minister whose family has moved in next door. Not only does the widow, Salma Zidane (Hiam Abbass), have to contend with Israeli bureaucracy and the Israeli justice system that is arrayed against her, but she must also defend her honor with her Palestinian neighbors, who do nothing to lift a finger to help her in her struggle. The bone of contention is the lemon grove which lies between the adjacent properties and is judged to be a potential haven for terrorists. That the grove is the legacy which Salma received from her father, has stood for over fifty years and provides her sole source of income, the wheels of justice slowly grind her down. She is aided in her fight by an idealistic young lawyer, Ziad Daud (Ali Suliman). The defense minister's wife, played by Romna Lipaz-Michael, is Salma's silent ally, but she, too, is powerless to offer any real aid. The cast is superb, and the script sparse, but together they clearly convey the frustration and futility experienced by the Palestinian people. The final scene leaves one feeling hollow. A terrific look from another perspective at the human tragedy of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
A story of pride and principal. A Palestinian woman's lemons come into harms way when an Israeli politician moves in next door. It's almost like one of those stories where neighbors go mental at the size of each others trees. The only difference being, here there are far more complex and interesting political issues at hand. The film is a moving testament to those that cannot be bought. The parallel story of the wife of the politician, sympathetic to the cause of the Palestinian woman is also a nice companion story that adds to the main narrative. The film does tend to trip over itself when it comes to the politics. It is far too concerned with portraying any character, against the protagonist, in a villainous light. The defense minister comes off as callous and careless while his secret service just seem incompetently paranoid. All this is at the expense of a sweet love story blossoming between the woman and her newly appointed lawyer.
[font=Century Gothic]Most homeowners would love to have a lemon grove overlooking their property but the one in "The Lemon Tree" is in the West Bank and is owned by Salma Zidane(Hiam Abbass), a widow. On the other side of the border in Israel, the new defense minister Israel Tavon(Doron Tavory) has moved in with his wife Mira(Rona Lipaz-Michael). Fearing potential terrorists hiding themselves in the trees, he orders them removed. To Salma, who barely makes any money off the lemons, it is a point of pride since the trees have been in her family for the past fifty years and she hires a young lawyer, Ziad(Ali Suliman), to bring the case to court. They lose the first round but appeal to the Supreme Court.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"The Lemon Tree" is a deceptively and quietly devastating movie that works on multiple levels to dissect life in the West Bank and Israel, most importantly on a personal level with performances to match. It is a movie that calls for peace, showing a different way to fight a battle than violence in a land full of missed opportunities for communication. The new security wall is only a part of this problem. This is also a movie that is set in societies that are both dominated by men, focusing on two lonely women, both who also have grown children living in Washington, DC. I know. I know. What are the odds? Look at it this way. Hypothetically, their paths might never cross in their home countries but the potential is definitely there in the United States. Just don't pay any attention to the middle-aged white guy who is screaming all the time. [/font]
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