Foxtrot

If we were to use a single word to describe Samuel Maoz's second feature, it would be "daring". He takes constant bold decisions that challenge conventions and offer beautiful images; if not all of his choices have the same rate of success, at least one can't deny the guts he had to craft something unique and truly memorable.

Told as a triptych, the story starts with a mature couple receiving the news that his son was killed while serving in the army and their initial reactions to the news; for the second part, it goes back in time to see the son in his last days at the military post where he was serving, to finally go in a flash forward to some months after the couple received the news to check how their lives were altered. Maoz wants to be as clear as possible in that, even if all parts are very related to one another, the narrative has to be divided in three, so he jumps dramatically in style to separate one from the other, specially the interlude is quite a contrast to the rest of the movie, if we face intense and very intimate drama in the beginning and end, the middle part is a sardonic portrait of Israeli war with a much more vibrant and experimental narrative approach.

But the fact that he deals with intense human emotions doesn't implies that he is going for the traditional hyper-realism that permeates foreign artsy movies. He is able to craft beautiful transgressive images in every sequence, no matter how apparently simple the actions and the settings are. With extreme-close ups and adventurous camera angles and movements, he is able to create a particular mood that get us into the state of mind of the characters: when the father is left alone for the first time after getting the news, a rotating camera on the ceiling follows him as he walks on a pattern floor to create a dizzy effect that is almost an spiral to his internal hell.

Thematically is effective in understand grieving and portraying it with full raw emotions, with strong performances from the lead actors, and a great use of silences as narrative weapons. A little less successful, but still giving it credit for its different approach, is his dealing with themes of destiny and/or absurd coincidences, since the plot twists seem to be more whimsical than consequential, leaving us with a feeling that the point he was trying to make wasn't really a strong one.

All in all, the efforts are quite rewarding in offering an outstanding cinematographic experience, where the images tell the story and (most of the time) we're treated as adults rather than children that need an explanation for everything that goes on there (the second explanation of the title of the film, making obvious its symbolism, could have been spared). A venturesome director that promises a lot in the Middle Eastern scene that keeps going stronger and stronger, and that is focusing on the very urgent problems of the region with human and intelligent approaches while still developing complex narrative and visual styles.