Walk on Water film review

certificate_15

WALK ON WATER

Eytan Fox's second international release (after 2002's Yossi and Jagger) is an infrequent but welcome Israeli film which takes a look at the quirks of living in one of the world's most difficult societies. That is does so in an often enjoyable and thought-provoking way is testament to the director and writer's open-minded attitude to a very divisive problem.

The film centres on Eyal (Lyor Ashkenazi), a brooding secret agent working undercover who at the beginning of the film eliminates an Arab target in Turkey. Upon his return to Israel he is shocked to discover that his wife has committed suicide and over the next few months tries to concentrate on his next mission. Unfailingly determined to avenge old wounds, his bosses are still on the hunt of nonagenarian Nazi war criminals, and when it discovered that one such German has a grand-daughter working on a kibbutz, Eyal is dispatched to find out more.

Eyal pretends to be a tour guide for Pia (Caroline Peters) and her brother Alex (Knut Berger), while all the time maintaining a watchful eye and ear for information about their grandfather. On the days that Pia works, Eyal is forced to take Alex out, and the two form a mismatched buddy outfit that leads to some dry comedic moments. The audience soon discovers that Alex has a secret and there is some enjoyment to be had in watching Eyal uncover it.

As the trio continue their travels, tensions begin to emerge and Eyal strives to keep his identity concealed. When Alex befriends an Arab, Eyal is appalled, but the script confronts such situations head-on without pandering to any religious ideology. Indeed, this is what makes much of the first half more than interesting. The plot only begins to untwine in a third act that lacks some credibility.

Ashkenazi certainly shows why he is one of his country's leading stars, and Peters and Berger make a believable brother and sister. The cast's energy is one of the film's highlight, and while it eventually tries to become a little too clever, it does ask some rarely posed questions and tries to answer them in a refreshing and honest manner.

Paul Hurley