Übers Wasser wandeln (2004)

Following the suicide of his wife, an Israeli intelligence agent is assigned to befriend the grandchildren of a Nazi war criminal.

Director:

Eytan Fox

Writer:

Gal Uchovsky (screenplay)

Stars:

Lior Ashkenazi, Knut Berger, Caroline Peters

4 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lior Ashkenazi	...	Eyal
Knut Berger	...	Axel Himmelman
Caroline Peters	...	Pia Himmelman
Gideon Shemer	...	Menachem (as Gidon Shemer)
Carola Regnier	...	Axel's Mother
Hanns Zischler	...	Axel's Father
Ernest Lenart	...	Alfred Himmelman
Eyal Rozales	...	Jello
Yousef 'Joe' Sweid	...	Rafik
Imad Jabarin	...	Rafik's uncle
Sivan Sasson	...	Weapons Instructor
Natali Shilman	...	Iris (as Natali Szylman)
Hugo Yarden	...	Kibbuz Director
Joshua Simon	...	Kibbuz Singer
Tom Rahav	...	Kibbuz Singer

Storyline

Eyal, an Israeli Mossad agent, is given the mission to track down and kill the very old Alfred Himmelman, an ex-Nazi officer, who might still be alive. Pretending to be a tourist guide, he befriends his grandson Axel, in Israel to visit his sister Pia. The two men set out on a tour of the country during which, Axel challenges Eyal's values.

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Plot Keywords:

israeli | suicide | nazi | israel | tourist | 

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Taglines:

He was trained to hate until he met the enemy

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language including sexual references, and for brief nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Spain]

Country:

Israel Sweden

Language:

German Arabic English Italian Hebrew Turkish

Release Date:

29 April 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Übers Wasser wandeln

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$60,465 (USA) (4 March 2005)

Gross:

$2,712,736 (USA) (2 September 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Israeli Film Fund, Lama Films, Fond Européen Média

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of the tour company which Eyal fronts for is Horizon Tours.

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Goofs

When Eyal runs out of the party at the villa, his shirt-tail is out, which is unlikely. When he arrives at Manachem's hotel it is still out when he leaves the car, but tucked in when he runs down the hotel hall and talks to Manachem in Manachem's room. Then when he returns to the villa, it is out again.

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Quotes

Axel Himmelman: [tries to walk on the sea and falls in]
Eyal: [sarcastically] Bravo. You did it.
Axel Himmelman: You don't understand. You can't just come to the Sea of Galilee and start walking on water. If you could, everybody would be doing it. You need to prepare yourself.
Eyal: And how would you do that? Please enlighten me.
Axel Himmelman: Well, you need to completely purify yourself. Your heart needs to be like it's clean from the inside: no negativity, no bad thoughts.
Eyal: And then?
Axel Himmelman: And then you can walk on water. I'm sure of it.

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Crazy Credits

In memory of my mother Sarah Kaminker A fighter for human rights and peace

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Connections

Featured in 2005 Glitter Awards (2005)

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Soundtracks

For What It's Worth
Written by Stephen Stills
Arranged by Sergio Mendes and Shantel
Performed by Shantel and Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66

User Reviews

A crisis of conscience

Eyal is a Mossad agent who specializes in terminating those that his agency deems enemies. Upon returning from a mission in Istanbul, he finds that his wife has committed suicide. Until he has been evaluated by a therapist Eyal cannot return to his regular field assignments and is given the task of getting close to the grandchildren of one of the last surviving Nazi war criminals in hopes of finding out where the old man is. The old man has recently disappeared, the man's son is nearing his 70th birthday and his grandson is coming to Israel to visit his kibbutznik sister.

Eyan poses as a tour guide and is quickly accepted by Axel, the grandson and Pia his sister. Eyan spends most of his time with the charming, spontaneous and open Axel but starts forming a friendship with both grandchildren.

Between his emotions over the death of his wife and his growing feelings for the two grandchildren Eyan has a crisis of conscience. Can he violate the trust the two have placed in him? Can he kill again?

Overall this is a well written; many faceted story, remarkably well told. I personally didn't care for the ending but I can't explain too much without giving away what happens.