Acclaimed Israeli director, Eytan Fox, (Yossi & Jagger; Walk on Water) achieves his strongest film yet with The Bubble, producing a rich tapestry of life in present-day Israel. While much of the film chronicles the hedonistic affairs of a group of twentysomething friends, gay and straight, the romantic and sexual adventures take on added urgency because of the tense political situation that threatens to shatter the characters' lives.
Vacillating provocatively between romantic comedy and political tragedy, The Bubble is photographed with a sunny brightness that belies the gravity of its intentions.
Set primarily in the fashionable Sheinkin Street district of Tel Aviv, the story follows three left-leaning 20-somethings whose notion of political action is to hold a “rave against the occupation.” But when Noam, a sweet-natured music-store clerk and reserve soldier, meets a handsome Palestinian named Ashraf, their escalating affair forces everyone to face reality in the cruellest possible way. Squeezing a lot of conflict — sexual, ethnic and intellectual — into its 117 minutes, The Bubble is about the appeal of self-delusion and the warmth of comfort zones.
|
