In
the 'disputed territory' of the West Bank lives two feuding families-One
Israeli and the other Palestinian, both owning their own restaurant-The Kosher King and Hummus Hut.
Their rivalry threatens to reach a boiling point just as two of each clan
fall for one another. Can the love these two share bring peace to the families and their region?...
I
first stumbled upon West Bank Story a few years ago when searching for
Palestinian cinema. Directed by an American-Israeli this doesn't exactly fit the bill, but oh well, fair's fair I checked it out. As the title suggests, it's a take on West Side
Story, by way of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with enough songs and
comedy to go round. A short film of only 20 minutes, it made a good
impression at the big film festivals, even winning an Oscar. This is the right kind of 'quirky, safe, foreign but not too foreign' that makes films award darlings.
Looking
at it on its own merits, and judging for what it is, West Bank Story is
fairly decent, if amateur (and certainly not Oscar-worthy!). It's simple, and the comedy is basic, at times recycled, with the plot itself being a twice removed pastiche of Romeo and Juliet
through American musical theatre. The film is never really able to settle though, thanks to its runtime, and feels more like cliffnotes of a story than the real thing. I guess since it is only a student film they probably just didn't have the resources to go beyond 20 minutes.
The comedy is mildly amusing at times, cringy at others, and comes off more American than anything else. It pokes fun at both sides, with an emphasis on stereotypes. Whether these come off as goodhearted and innocent or flat out racist may depend on the viewer. What I found a low point was a particular gag. The absurdity of it all, a cashier
firing an AK-47 into the ceiling before taking orders named after suicide bombing, could be funny,
if they weren't rooted in the idea that 'all Arabs are terrorists'.
Some are critical of the overall concept of making a comedy based on a very real conflict. But I think it's fine. Getting humour out of dramatic situations can work wonders, and can not only be funny but cathartic. It depends on how you do it, otherwise it could come off as insensitive. As for how this does, ummmm, okay I guess, not wildly insensitive or mean-spirited.
Where
West Bank Story excels is in its appearance, The film may be short, but
it's packed with detail, with a large variety of costumes, dances, and
the odd visual flourish. Even if they're not all funny, it's still a
level of effort to be appreciated, and makes this kinda dense in a way
despite the runtime.
The
songs are ok, and there are a couple of good dueling harmonies,
although overall pretty basic and derivative. There's also not enough
time for this to really settle as a musical. If you crunch the numbers,
most musical films might have about 20 minutes worth of songs in them
give or take. But that's the overall length here.
And
now let's come to the movie's politics. The fact that
it doesn't hate Palestinians is a good start. It isn't blind to
Israeli aggressions either, and isn't afraid to have characters call
them occupiers, even if the creator himself doesn't necessarily think they
are. At face value, if you know nothing about the
conflict, it easily summarises the divide in a neat 20
minute package, and pokes fun at both sides while showing how if
only they work together, things can be resolved. Now, I'm sure the
creators' hearts are in the right place with making this, buuut I can't
help but be a bit uneasy at how it portrays the situation.
While
I do give a little kudos to Ari Sandel for trying to be a mediator, I can't help think it's a little
naive, when this same story in real life would probably end in one-sided
mass murder. Not to mention the awkwardness of a 'romance' which is
like one between a slave and her master. Or more accurately, it'd be
comparable to The Night Porter! "*swoons* Isn't the coupling of a poor
woman and the man who can switch off her water at any time so
romantic?". It's an uncomfortable power dynamic, and it's galling to ask why
they can't all get along when one party is clearly the aggressor. At
least the movie ends where it does, and we don't get an epilogue of the
Hummus Hut being demolished and the Arab family evicted.
The
cast here do an ok job. Their performances are pretty heightened and
goofy already, with the main duo being the most normal. Some handle the
comedy well, while others...ummm, don't. On another note, there are plenty of Israelis involved here. Not so
much on the Arab side, in front or behind the camera. I'm not a big
stickler about that, and I'm not gonna complain if a Bolivian is playing a Chilean, or a Persian
is playing an Indian. But this case is so specific and rooted, and this absence is perhaps
telling. Not saying Arabs can't poke a bit of fun at themselves, and
some may be fine with this film as is, but yeahhh.
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