Yellow Asphalt (2000) User Reviews

Compelling storytelling...

[poe426 · 6/10 · 21 September 2007]

"Time heals everything," it's suggested several times in this film. I can't say I buy that (never have, never will). Still, this is compelling storytelling. YELLOW ASPHALT never wavers: it assaults the viewer's sensibilities in a low-key manner that is akin to a speaker whose argument infuriates the listener but who refuses to lose his own cool in the face of the listener's fury. (I must confess: I didn't get the bit where the tire is accepted in exchange for the life of the little boy; it simply didn't ring true, and is the one "black mark" in the movie's mostly moving narrative.) The characters are often caught between a rock and a hard place, and they don't always make the right choices; that's nothing less than human nature. Verete has every right to tell his story the way he chooses.

Racist Yes but involving

[vishal_wall · 8/10 · 28 May 2008]

There are 3 stories in the film. A Bedouin boy mowed down by Jewish truck drivers, A German wife trying to runaway from her Bedouin husband and a Bedouin man involuntarily gets involved as a mute party to an extramarital affair between his Jew boss and an Arabs domestic help which ends up in community clash.

All three stories are very well executed. First story is about 10 minutes and leaves a question in your mind if thats possible. I personally don't buy it but its a work of fiction so its fine. Also message sent is good. Second is pretty good too. Its very optimistic. A German wife in veil and a Bedouin husband. Pretty involving and very well shot. Third is probably the best in the lot. I don't really understand the Social aspect between Jews and Bedouins but as a story its pretty interesting.

Acting, Camera and speed is good. If you like short stories then watch it. Highly recommended.

A memorable movie about an alternate Israelian reality

[henri_aqua · 9/10 · 14 January 2002]

This film comprises of three short stories. Every story circles around the culture and life of a beduin tribe living in Israel. All three stories are based on true events and are acted by the beduins themselves. They are about the clash of western civilization (or intrusion) into the world of values of the beduins, where patriarchical rules and blood revenge are a part of their culture.

The director neither judges nor glorifies that life. Indeed he needed to live several years among the beduins before they trusted him enough to do the film (the director was present during the showing of the movie).

This cautiousness pays off very well and gives a nice combination between authenticity and storytelling.

The characters are very involving, the acting is superb (from the beduins as well as the professional actors). The photography revels in the strange beauty of the desert.

The beduins themselves are a widely ignored part of the Israelian people. The director (who is Israelian) deliberately tries to make the audience identify with a group at the edge of his society (they are very poor) and which is muslim.

It is a very good movie which doesn't make many compromises or avoids many taboos. I recommend it.

The Most Awful Stereotypes

[gunnarvl · 3/10 · 31 January 2006]

I suppose this is well made, but it leaves the lasting impression of the Jews as murderers, devoid of feeling, evil in nature, liars, the most awful stereotypical characteristics and therefore a most incomplete film. Jews are shown running over a small child then attempting to leave the scene. In another story, the Jewish landowner has an affair with his female Arab worker and then ends up shooting her dead to protect himself, then lies about it. The Jews are shown not treating their workers very well. Twice during the film we hear the Arab say to their fellow Arab, now an outcast, "go live amongst the Jews, maybe you can get some work and a place to stay". This is ultimately an anti Jewish film and I do not recommend it except to anti Semites.

Not good. Superficial, disappointing, and racist.

[Jonas2021 · 1/10 · 14 June 2006]

I just finished watching Yellow Asphalt, eagerly anticipating a subtle and sensitive inquiry into Beduoin culture in Israel. This movie fails in every respect. This movie would have one believe that the Beduoins and barbarians and the Israelis have no respect for human life. In one sequence, two Israeli truck drivers hit a Beduoin boy and pay off/bribe the family with a spare tire. This is seemingly acceptable to everyone. The Israelis have no conscience and the Beduoins don't particularly mind that their boy is dead if they can get one truck tire in exchange. Nonsense. I don't believe it from a Beduoin response -- that they have no value for their children and a stupid payoff like that would suffice for their anguish -- and I don't believe it from an Israeli point of view either. Several years ago, I witnessed a Palestinian man get hit by a car by accident in downtown Jerusalem. The entire block came to a halt with dozens of Israelis rushing to the aid of the man to ensure his well-being. The callousness with which the Israeli response was shown here was nothing short of inhuman. In another sequence, an Israeli man is having an affair with a Beduoin woman. Her tribe discovers this, and beats her up. When she comes back to the Israeli man for help, he kills her. What the $@*!@!??? If honor is so critical to the Beduoin, that's one thing, but to spill blood over infidelity is certainly not an Israeli or -- dare I say -- a Judeo-Christian ethic. Everyone is reduced to one dimension in this movie, and accordingly, there is nothing that this movie adds -- except, perhaps, prejudice based upon inaccurate stereotypes and poor writing -- to the study of the Israel-Beduoin interaction or experience.