I watched this film a few days ago on ARTE, a French-German television. I was glad I had that opportunity, given the enthusiastic reviews I had read on the press. I was greatly disappointed. The film is really nothing to write home about. The plot is so one-sided, and the characters are so grossly divided into good ones and bad ones, that I'm very surprised reviews could be so positive. The point is not that it's pro-Palestinian: I, for one, have over time become a staunch critic of Israel and its policies, especially those of its present government. My point is that I expect films to be somewhat different from fairy tales. Of course, films can't be a history essay; but I get the disquieting impression that this film, with its mixture of an innocent victim, a cynical politician and his sensitive wife, is a cunning exercise in overt exploitation of the public's goodwill.
Review of Lemon Tree
