Review: The Holy Land (***)

THE HOLY LAND
A film review by Steve Rhodes

Copyright 2003 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ***


Sasha has just about forgotten what genuine feelings are like since she
makes her living faking it. An immigrant worker from the Ukraine, she works
as a prostitute at a bar/brothel in Israel. Tchelet Semel, a frizzy-haired
beauty who looks like Natasha Lyonne, gives a poignant performance as Sasha.



Eitan Gorlin's THE HOLY LAND is an honest and touching examination of life's
dichotomies in sex, religion and politics. In the opening voice-over,
Sasha, in her heavily accented English, says bitterly, "I hope Jews and
Arabs kill each other until nobody left."



The movie's first few scenes are quite unsettling since the bad hairdos and
beards look like it will be a Woody Allen-style spoof of modern Jewish life.
Although there are a few silly subplots that needlessly distract from the
story, most of the movie plays like ROMEO AND JULIET set during a time of
religious strife and terrorist bombings.



When we meet the nerdy looking Mendy (Oren Rehany), he is a rabbinical
student who is having trouble concentrating on his studies. His rabbi has a
rather unusual suggestion for his distracted pupil, recommending the
services of a prostitute. The rabbi hopes that, once the virginal Mendy is
laid, he will be able to concentrate on the Torah without his mind
wandering. Any guesses on how effective this prescription will be?



Once he lays eyes on the innocent-looking, young Sasha at The Love Boat,
where she works, Mendy is instantly smitten, being more interested in
talking than sex. Sasha's best and most gregarious client, Mike (Saul
Stein), ends up becoming friends with Mendy. On Sasha's days off, she
starts hanging out with the two guys.



Mendy is torn. He still believes and prays regularly to his God, yet his
feelings for Sasha are just as strong. In his mind, his love affair with a
tart and his religious beliefs are incapable of being reconciled.
Periodically, hints of another element to their troubles come from the
events around them, with suicide bombers being an undiscussed threat.



The first time they ever make love properly in Mike's apartment, he tells
her sincerely, "I don't want you to feel like you have to." Laughing
profusely, she tells him, "I'm hooker. This is my job." When, eventually,
she lets down her guard and admits that she likes him too, it isn't clear
what exactly her feelings are. "I have money," she tells him smiling. "You
have passport. Together we'd be one very happy person."



The movie ends well, but part of the power of the last scene is sapped by
its predictability. It's a simple film that takes an honest look at some
complex issues. It gets you thinking and touches your heart.



THE HOLY LAND runs 1:40. The film is in English and in Arabic, Hebrew and
Russian with English subtitles. It is not rated but would be an R for sex,
nudity, drug usage and language and would be acceptable for most teenagers.



The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, October 10, 2003.
In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.



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