Omar-2013

Omar-2013

Director-Hany Abu-Assad

Starring-Adam Bakri, Eyad Hourani

Scott’s Review #132

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Reviewed July 24, 2014

Grade: B

Omar is a 2013 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar nominee.

Omar tells the story of a young Palestinian man living in the political unrest of Israel, personally conflicted, and a freedom fighter, sympathetic to the other side. He is in love with a young girl whose brother is a leader in the freedom fight and their romance eventually becomes a love triangle.

Once Omar is arrested on suspicion of murdering a soldier, a series of events take place that makes the audience wonder what side of the fence he really is on and who his allegiance lies with.

The film starts slowly and way too much emphasis is placed on the romantic story- seemingly endless scenes of Omar and Nadia professing their love and passing notes to each other.

In fact, the film seems to know not what it wants to be a political thriller or a romance film.  Approximately, 30 minutes into the film it really kicks into high gear as the arrest and the political cat and mouse aspects come to the forefront.

The ending of the film is unexpected and rather excellent.

At times, though, the story is a bit unrealistic and implausible, especially in some of the prison scenes- Would a Palestinian traitor really be given a second chance and not killed instantly? Would the prisoner and interrogator really become friends?

Certain aspects of the film seemed plot-driven and too convenient to be realistic, but I was enraptured with the story overall, minus the romance, which seemed overextended and sappy.

Oscar Nominations: Best Foreign Language Film

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