Our Loves" Film on October 7th Misses the Mark
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Avi Nesher's film "Our Loves" attempts to portray the resilience of Israeli society following the October 7th attacks through multiple interwoven love stories. Despite its noble intentions and a strong cast, the film is criticized for weak writing, underdeveloped characters, and a lack of compelling cinematic expression. The reviewer argues that the film's optimistic portrayal of recovery misrepresents the current fractured state of Israeli society, failing to acknowledge the deep societal divisions and animosity that have emerged since the attacks.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Avi Nesher's "Our Loves" is the most significant film to date about the October 7th attacks, focusing on recovery.
- The film follows three interconnected storylines beginning before the attacks, featuring a large ensemble cast.
- Criticisms include weak character development, unconvincing dialogue, and a lack of impactful cinematic technique.
- The reviewer argues the film's optimistic "microcosm" of Israeli society misrepresents the post-October 7th reality.
- Despite flaws, some actors and soldier characters are praised for appearing more human and less metaphorical.
- The film's attempt at healing is seen as failing to address the deep societal divisions and animosity in Israel.
Director Avi Nesher's new film, "Our Loves," aims to address the trauma of the October 7th attacks by focusing on love, family, and survival through three interconnected storylines. The film features a large cast including Shalom Michaelashvili, Magi Azarzar, and Amir Banai, and attempts to present a microcosm of Israeli society striving for recovery.
However, the reviewer finds that Nesher's good intentions do not always translate into a compelling human drama. The film's narrative begins the day before the attacks, following a father estranged from his daughter who moved to the Gaza border region, a police officer hiding her girlfriend from her mother, and a religious young woman who spontaneously heads to the Nova music festival after a breakup. The film then depicts how these lives are upended on October 7th, with supporting roles for a police officer thrust into command and a group of young soldiers caught in the fighting.
A significant criticism is directed at Nesher's writing, which is described as unconvincing in character development and dialogue. The reviewer notes outdated language, characters stating the obvious to update the viewer, and a lack of subtext. Furthermore, the film's cinematic expression is deemed sparse, with the camera failing to capture the dramatic potential of key moments, such as the sunrise over the Nova festival site or a harrowing scene of a woman being abducted. The reviewer argues that the film relies too heavily on characters explaining events rather than using cinematic tools to convey emotion or advance the plot.
Nesher, an experienced director, is suggested to have intentionally avoided deeper human drama in favor of his artistic agenda, presenting "Our Loves" as a carefully engineered microcosm of Israeli society encompassing diverse segments of the population. The film's title and structure, focusing on love stories, are seen as intentional choices by Nesher to leave the audience with a sense of resilience. Despite the film's critical shortcomings in execution, the reviewer acknowledges that some actors, like Daniel Gimbel and Shalom Michaelashvili, and a group of soldiers, manage to emerge positively, perhaps because they are not burdened by the film's overarching metaphorical weight.
The reviewer concludes with personal frustration, viewing the film's "microcosm" as a misrepresentation of Israeli society post-October 7th. Instead of healing, the reviewer argues, Israel has been plagued by internal strife and animosity, with some individuals showing indifference or hostility towards victims. The film's attempt at healing, by calling it "Our Loves" and focusing on positive themes, is seen as failing to acknowledge these deeper societal symptoms.
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