Free Zone (aka Freezone/2005/New Yorker/DVD-Video)

 

Picture: C     Sound: C+     Extras: C     Film: B

 

 

Natalie Portman has been getting picked on for being pretty and from critics still bashing her work in the Star Wars prequels, but in real life, she is being one of the smartest actresses in her generation by taking on roles that require risks.  After exceptional work in Closer and V For Vendetta (reviewed in high definition formats elsewhere on this site), she plays the American in Israel Rebecca in Amos Gitai’s Free Zone (2005), from the acclaimed director of Kadosh and Kippur.

 

She is joined native Israeli Hanna (Hana Laszlo) on the way to Jordan where they meet Leila (Hiam Abbass) from Palestine and yes, she is a native Palestinian.  Another “American” owes Hanna money, but Leila lets them know the cash and man are missing.  Leila is brought into the cab and the three go on a journey to find both, but that is nothing as compared to what this road movie is out to say and do.

 

The result is a clever microcosm of the women from the three countries and Gitai’s screenplay (co-written with Marie-Jose Sanselme) is very smart, mature, funny, patient, observant and witty.  The three leads have great chemistry, with Portman holding her own very nicely in a role where she could have been eclipsed.  I found this very real and palpable, as well as one of the few films about the current Middle East/World situation that will endure in the years to come.  The only flaw is that the film does not run long enough as there is so much more to say.  All three are so good in their roles that it makes for one of Gitai’s best films and is definitely recommended.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is softer than usual with aliasing errors ands a consistent softness that makes this look like video more than film, though it may be a PAL-to-NTSC mis-conversion issue.  The actual camerawork by Laurent Brunet holds shots for longer times than most films even attempt, enhancing the narrative nicely.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is rare for any New Yorker title, but is just a spreading out of the basic stereo as heard in the alternative Dolby Digital 2.0 mix also available.  Extras include the original theatrical trailer and an audio interview with Gitai.  More would have been nice, but the film is enough.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo