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 Rated: PG-13
Starring: Saleh Bakri, Khalifa Natour, Ronit Elkabetz, Rubi Moscovich, Sasson Gabai
Directed by: Eran Kolirin
Here's a little film that's not only interesting, but also
amazingly wonderful. The Band's Visit
takes a little mistrust, a pinch of nervousness, a lot of pride and a world of
differences and mixes it all together into a brilliant film topped with
compassion. The movie plays best to
adults who have empathy for the strife of others.
An Egyptian Ceremonial Police Orchestra gets assigned to go
to Israel to perform at the opening of the Arab art center. They arrive at the Israeli airport dressed in
their uniforms, but no one is there to pick them up. Tewfig (Gabai), the leader of the band, gets
tired of waiting so he decides to take a city bus to the event. Since the name of the towns are very similar,
Tewfig inadvertently takes the wrong bus and ends up in a small, out-of-the way
town, in the middle of nowhere.
After
standing on the roadside for a very long time on chance that another bus may
come by, Tewfig gets up enough nerve to enter an Israeli mini store to ask
about the bus schedule. Dina (Elkabetz),
the shop owner, unenthusiastically tells him that there will not be another bus
till the next morning. Stranded in a
land that’s at odds with their country, dressed in ceremonial Egyptian Police
uniforms, no hotels, very little Israeli money, and eight mouths to feed,
Tewfig makes a very daring decision.
Each of the
characters in the film is amusing to watch as they try to adapt with their long-time foes. I loved the roller skating
scene where the shy Israeli Papi (Avraham) asks the suave Egyptian ladies man
Khaled (Bakri), who has tagged along for the evening on a ‘double date', to
help him become more intimate with his blind date. When Khaled explains how to approach the
girl, it gets rather hilarious.
The staunch
Gabai does an outstanding job with the character, making the film believable
and compassionate. His Tewfig sticks to his Egyptian ways, even in the site of
possible danger. But, when the lovely
Dina tempts Tewfig, some of his past starts to catch up with him.
The film
does have subtitles, but at least 50% of the dialogue is in English, making the
film very easy to follow and enjoy.
FINAL ANALYSIS:
The Band's Visit is a wonderful little film that shows a lot of pride and
compassion in the face of adversity.
This Reviewer's Rating:   4 / 5
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