The Place For The Latest Movie Reviews
Cast: Eion Bailey, F. Murray Abraham, Linda Hardy, Tovah Feldshuh, Alon Neuman, Sharon Raginiano, A.J. Tannen, Rachel Wagner, Gene Christensen, Yotam Ishay
While attending his father's funeral in Israel, American businessman Romi Meir signs on for an undercover assignment with the Israeli Secret Service and gets pulled into the ongoing conflict between the Arabs and Israelis. While he waits for the Mossad to retrieve him from behind enemy lines, his growing friendship with a Palestinian woman prompts him to reexamine his politics.
I figured this to be another war film between the Arabs and the Israels but it was a bit more than that. When Romi travels back to Israel for his father's funeral he is talked into taking an assignment to snap pictures for the Israeli secret service but it isn't till he meets Joleh, a Palestinian woman that his whole outlook changes. A "Romeo and Juliet" tale set against the violence that takes place in Israel. As the film opens there is a car bombing which kills Romi's father. I am not against war related films but there has been so many of them in recent years it gets hard to distinguish them apart but "Language of The Enemy" is a film about love regardless of religion.
Besides the tender, heart-breaking love story that sets the film apart from many others like it the cast is another reason the film is above average. Eion Bailey and Linda Hardy are fantastic as Romi and Joleh and show great chemistry together as well. F. Murray Abraham is excellent as well as Joleh's blind grandfather, all he wants for her is to be happy. Abraham adds the comic relief to the film which keeps the subject matter from becoming a complete downer. The rest of the supporting cast all did a fine job and the cinematography is fantastic as well. Director, Mitch Davis did a great job mixing the political thriller with the romance keeping you interested and invested in the characters. In the end if you give the film a chance and take it for what it is I think you will be entertained. There is something here for both the male and female audience so it's a war related film couples can enjoy together as well. Certainly different than I expected it to be but it was a pleasant surprise. You can order the DVD HERE.
Released by MTI Home Video
*** 1/2 Out Of *****