The Bubble [2007]

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Customer reviews

review by: Birdnerd date: 2008-10-15 rating:
Absolutely brilliant...
...and the title says it all. Although Israel and Palestine are next door (or in the same place), they might as well be on different planets. The lifestyles and treatments of each community are so beautifully and accurately depicted. The lead characters are great - as, indeed, is the whole cast, who make the whole film utterly watchable and believable- you really get drawn into this film! Treat yourselves- it's a great film.

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review by: date: 2008-10-05 rating:
Fairly unconvincing portrayal of relationships, with a very blunt political message
I'm not sure what I expected from this film, but it didn't seem to do what it said on the tin. Previous reviews suggested a very glamorous, fun lifestyle for a group of friends in modern Tel Aviv and I was looking forward to a really enjoyable time. In fact I found myself not really convinced with the characters portrayal, not particularly attracted to them in any way and just watching a fairly "pedestrian" (i.e. not much fun and not very glamorous)lifestyle. And pretty depressing. Except of course it is anything but pedestrian in political and religious terms. I think my problem with the film was perhaps largely that my expectations were very different from having read reviews to what I actually saw. If I hadn't had the preconceptions I think I would have taken more from the film, taking it more at face value. But even then, I'm not sure the central relationship is portrayed convincingly, and the ending is a massive "deus ex machina". Perhaps I could have seen it coming but it doesn't make sense in human terms. It seems to be a very contrived ending which is all about message and not about dramatic and character reality. The motivation of the character who causes the ending isn't convincingly built up to reach that climax. I will watch the film again with my preconceptions removed and try to appreciate more. But don't expect a fun film which makes you feel attracted to the characters and feel good about gay life - think about a film which is all about an underlying hard, blunt political message which has to be seen through - at the expense I think of the characterisation and plot.

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review by: Tommy Nane date: 2008-10-04 rating:
Think Romeo & Juliet combined with a romantic documentary...
Beautifully shot, this film has given me my first insight in to the lives of Palestinians and Israelis today. It serves as a reminder to us all that people are people, be they gay, straight, Israeli, Palestinian, Black, White... Forget Brokeback Mountain, this is a much better watch with considerably better dialogue and visuals. You won't be disappointed. (Note it's in Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles).

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review by: Tom date: 2008-03-26 rating:
Fantastic, important film!
This film simply deserves to be seen. Beautifully shot, with a fantastic soundtrack, The Bubble is a thoughtful and important film that manages to explore difficult and political themes whlist still being completely entertaining. The lives of four friends in Tel Aviv may not seem like the most fascinating subject but this film will definitely not disappoint. The director has fat surpassed even his work on the classic Yossi & Jagger with this understated gem.


review by: Abolish the A.o.C. date: 2008-02-25 rating:
"Tel Aviv has such beautiful moments..."
Eytan Fox (Yossi & Jagger, Walk on Water) has a tremendous talent for portraying conflicts - social, political, emotional - and in 'The Bubble' (in Hebrew, with English subtitles) he has again succeeding in translating this into a powerful, intelligent film.

The 'bubble' in question is ostensibly the youth scene of Tel Aviv - an oasis of hip, vibrant contemporaneity in a desert of regressive dogma. Focusing particularly on thirty-something Noam, and his two flatmates - Lulu ("the Israeli Carrie Bradshaw") and Yali (flamboyant, gay, café owner) - the younger generation are portrayed as desperately emulating Western 'culture' - iPods, drugs, raves, Pop Idol, and fashion - as a reaction to the violence of their parents' legacy. For Western viewers used only to seeing the media portrayal of Middle-East one-dimensional strife from the comfort of their living rooms, this film will certainly prove to be an eye-opener.

Noam, who works in a record store, also serves as a reserve Israeli soldier, and it is while performing this latter duty at an Israeli checkpoint that he meets a Palestinian of similar age, Ashraf. The two men click instantly via time-honoured, unspoken eye contact and quickly form a relationship. Ahraf does not have a permit, and consequently Noam and his two flatmates disguise him as an Israeli and introduce him to their cosmopolitan world in Tel Aviv: café life, gay bars, moody piano clubs, theatre and music. Ashraf is enchanted by the carefree, (relatively) sexually-open lifestyle - so very different to the stark tradition of his Palestinian family-life. However, upon a visit back to this home town to attend his sister's wedding, Ashraf gets caught up in the enraged vengeance schemes of his militant brother-in-law, a local Hamas leader.

The film (two hours) has many more detailed sub-plots, which form a tight, inextricable web of actions and consequences. If anything, this factor is actually the only notable weakness of 'The Bubble': some of these plot lines appear too contrived, and some suspension of disbelief is necessary - particularly pertaining to the awkward and implausible ending. Nevertheless, this is a minor drawback in an otherwise excellent film.

The tremendous melting-pot of humour, tragedy and social commentary will undoubtedly work to push many emotional buttons. The vast range of contrasts that the film presents (Jew v. Arab, contemporary v traditional, pragmatism v. idealism, gay v. straight, hatred v. optimism, passion v. lust, family v. friends) is breathtaking in itself, and ensures that 'The Bubble' will linger in your mind for a long time. Superbly talented actors, and a beautifully-poignant soundtrack, underscore the polished nature of the film. Highly recommended.

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Similar categories

Video . DVD & VHS . Categories . Drama
Video . DVD & VHS . Categories . Gay & Lesbian . TLA Releasing
Video . DVD & VHS . Substores . Regular Stores . DVD Bargains . By Price . From £4.97 . DVDs from £4.97
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . DVD
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . BBFC Rating (intended_use_browse-bin) . 15
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Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Region(feature_browse-bin) . Region 2
Video . DVD & VHS . Refinements . Release Date (feature_three_browse-bin) . 2000 and later

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