I just saw this film for the first time, and although much has been written about it already, I haven't seen a review that seems to reflect my perspective, so I may have something to add. I myself grew up completely secular and became an Orthodox Jew at the age of 18, and I have had connections with Breslover Chassidim, which this film depicts. I could write about this film on two levels. One, it's quality as a film, and two, its accuracy in portraying an aspect of the Jewish Orthodox world.
Purely as a film, it's nothing to write home about. The story is kind of shallow and fairy-tale like, putting together a series of events that, while each one on its own could and does happen, are not believable in sum total. I guess that could be said about many films, but since this one is giving a somewhat intimate view of the Orthodox world and its beliefs and emotions, I would have preferred that it be made with more of a sense of realism and balance. As it is, it's doing a disservice to a community that is already seen as living in its own fairy-tale. The acting seemed pretty good, but it's hard to give a fair judgment when you're not hearing your mother tongue. I found the direction a bit choppy, not giving me enough time to savor the emotional points, but that may be a matter of taste.
Now, as for the depiction of the Orthodox, and more specifically, the Breslover Chassidic world {I must preface that I've never lived in Jerusalem (although I studied in Yeshiva there and have had meals with families who live in the area depicted in the film), nor have I been closely associated with this group, but I've had a few friends who were}:
In this area I feel the picture did a very good job. It shows the struggles of a baal-teshuvah (newly religious) couple, and how they bring their faith in God to the practical arena of life. The honest and straightforward relationship between the two protagonists is realistic and believable, although I don't think you would find the same candor and open emotion in the relationship of a similarly Chassidic couple who were religious all their lives (but I can't be sure, as in those circles people would never display their relationship in front of others).
The "straight-talking" form of prayer that we see the main character do is called "hisbodedus" and is strongly encouraged in the Breslover literature. After seeing it in action, I'm beginning to see its merits. It really makes you feel that there's a reality to his belief in God, and it's not just lip-service.
There were aspects of the film's depiction of religious ritual that bothered me, but I'm not going to nit-pick here.
There were several lost opportunities here, once they took the trouble to make a "kosher" film using real Orthodox actors in a real environment. The only view we had of the Yeshivah didn't show a serious Talmudic study session, but rather a time when they were studying "chassidus," the moral and ethical self-improvement texts. As such, I don't think it would impress an outsider as something worthy of being jobless for. They are left thinking that these people spend their whole day wagging their thumbs about not getting angry, or trusting in God.
In fact, whatever way you show it, I don't think you can make this way of life understandable to a secular eye. To show a married man who chooses not to work, but then bemoans his penniless fate and cries out to God to help him and save him seems, to an outsider of this society, simplistic at best, and ridiculous and irresponsible at worst. It's a shame that the purity and depth of faith shown in this film was set against such a backdrop.
I also didn't like that the only secular people in the film were the characters of escaped convicts, with bad manners and little culture, setting up a conflict between the small-minded members of the neighborhood and these lowlifes. It misses what could have been an opportunity to show the warmth, caring, and open friendliness that these communities display when not threatened. I came into the home of one of these "xenophobic" Jerusalemite families for a Shabbos (Sabbath) meal when I knew very little about religion, and I have yet to meet (after 16 years) more genuinely welcoming and purely kind people. In fact, it was experiences like those that helped me see the "real" Judaism; the proof's in the pudding, as they say.
All criticisms aside, I enjoyed the movie. I can't speak for a secular person, for whom the whole context may be bewildering, but if you can let yourself be taken in, it is heartwarming and sweet, and provides a rare glimpse of what a Jewish Orthodox (at least a Breslov Chassidic) relationship with God is all about.
Purely as a film, it's nothing to write home about. The story is kind of shallow and fairy-tale like, putting together a series of events that, while each one on its own could and does happen, are not believable in sum total. I guess that could be said about many films, but since this one is giving a somewhat intimate view of the Orthodox world and its beliefs and emotions, I would have preferred that it be made with more of a sense of realism and balance. As it is, it's doing a disservice to a community that is already seen as living in its own fairy-tale. The acting seemed pretty good, but it's hard to give a fair judgment when you're not hearing your mother tongue. I found the direction a bit choppy, not giving me enough time to savor the emotional points, but that may be a matter of taste.
Now, as for the depiction of the Orthodox, and more specifically, the Breslover Chassidic world {I must preface that I've never lived in Jerusalem (although I studied in Yeshiva there and have had meals with families who live in the area depicted in the film), nor have I been closely associated with this group, but I've had a few friends who were}:
In this area I feel the picture did a very good job. It shows the struggles of a baal-teshuvah (newly religious) couple, and how they bring their faith in God to the practical arena of life. The honest and straightforward relationship between the two protagonists is realistic and believable, although I don't think you would find the same candor and open emotion in the relationship of a similarly Chassidic couple who were religious all their lives (but I can't be sure, as in those circles people would never display their relationship in front of others).
The "straight-talking" form of prayer that we see the main character do is called "hisbodedus" and is strongly encouraged in the Breslover literature. After seeing it in action, I'm beginning to see its merits. It really makes you feel that there's a reality to his belief in God, and it's not just lip-service.
There were aspects of the film's depiction of religious ritual that bothered me, but I'm not going to nit-pick here.
There were several lost opportunities here, once they took the trouble to make a "kosher" film using real Orthodox actors in a real environment. The only view we had of the Yeshivah didn't show a serious Talmudic study session, but rather a time when they were studying "chassidus," the moral and ethical self-improvement texts. As such, I don't think it would impress an outsider as something worthy of being jobless for. They are left thinking that these people spend their whole day wagging their thumbs about not getting angry, or trusting in God.
In fact, whatever way you show it, I don't think you can make this way of life understandable to a secular eye. To show a married man who chooses not to work, but then bemoans his penniless fate and cries out to God to help him and save him seems, to an outsider of this society, simplistic at best, and ridiculous and irresponsible at worst. It's a shame that the purity and depth of faith shown in this film was set against such a backdrop.
I also didn't like that the only secular people in the film were the characters of escaped convicts, with bad manners and little culture, setting up a conflict between the small-minded members of the neighborhood and these lowlifes. It misses what could have been an opportunity to show the warmth, caring, and open friendliness that these communities display when not threatened. I came into the home of one of these "xenophobic" Jerusalemite families for a Shabbos (Sabbath) meal when I knew very little about religion, and I have yet to meet (after 16 years) more genuinely welcoming and purely kind people. In fact, it was experiences like those that helped me see the "real" Judaism; the proof's in the pudding, as they say.
All criticisms aside, I enjoyed the movie. I can't speak for a secular person, for whom the whole context may be bewildering, but if you can let yourself be taken in, it is heartwarming and sweet, and provides a rare glimpse of what a Jewish Orthodox (at least a Breslov Chassidic) relationship with God is all about.
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