Rashevski's Tango

It is easy to define it as a Jewish film. The death of grandmother changing everything . In fact, it is a story about us. Simple, profound, moving. As a sort of cathasis. Because it is a film about family roots. About the meanings of past and memories. And about the fundamental choices. And, sure, about the fears, clash between generations, future. One of useful films.

This movie is about a Jewish family in Europe (they live in Belgium, but that is not important for the movie). At the beginning of the movie the grand-mother dies. She was the strong pillar that kept the family together. Her death forces all the members of this family to think about their lives, and the choices they have made. Now all the family members have to find their own way.

It is a very realistic movie, and it points out all the important facets of human lives: love, family, religion, prejudice...but most of all the picture shows that everybody is imperfect...and that isn't a bad thing when we realize it.

The deaths of the grand-mother and the great-uncle symbolize the disappearing of the last generation that consciously witnessed the Second World War.

This is a delightful film, but in order to appreciate it fully one would need some knowledge about Jewish life in the diaspora.

It tells the story about a family of assimilated Belgian Jews, how they struggle with defining their Judaism, their family, and themselves.

There are three generations of the Rashevsky family, each of which has experienced the major forces of its era. For the oldest generation, the defining event was the Holocaust; for the middle generation, growing up in wartorn Europe and being 2nd generation after the Holocaust; finally, for the 3rd generation, dealing with assimilation and modern life in a Western culture.

The performances are nuanced, the director wisely chose the "less is more" route in the actors' interpretations of their roles. The film begins with a gripping scene that can only be gradually understood as the film tells its tale. (And the final scene has a very nice, slightly ironic, way of coming full circle).

As the film progresses, the thread of the family's story slowly unwinds. Each character comes to grips with his or her angst about Judaism, family, and what he or she wants, ending in poignance and redemption. While things don't end neatly tied together so that everyone finds the same answers - a feature of modern American TV and movies, unfortunately - it does realistically portray choices made, their rationale, and how we live with those choices.

Overall, a sensitive, lovely portrait of modern Jewish life in the diaspora, and the issues we face. I hope I have done it justice. 9 out of 10.