Dealing in the same emotional territory of personal/political betrayal as The Third Man but in the topical setting of Israel and Berlin this film from 1989 holds up well. Strong performances, good direction and an interesting use of varied locations make for a well-above-average thriller marred slightly by the flashback structure and a slightly muffled ending.
The tensions that destroy relations between Palestinians and Israelis and the forces that drive both sides to acts of political terrorism and personal betrayal underpin the movie.
It won't change minds (nor should it) but it confronts the issues clearly and without prejudice to either side. Probably therefore it will be deeply unpopular with both sides of the political spectrum - which is a measure of its success.
The tensions that destroy relations between Palestinians and Israelis and the forces that drive both sides to acts of political terrorism and personal betrayal underpin the movie.
It won't change minds (nor should it) but it confronts the issues clearly and without prejudice to either side. Probably therefore it will be deeply unpopular with both sides of the political spectrum - which is a measure of its success.