Reviews

The Bubble

A gay, Middle Eastern Romeo and Juliet

By TOM MEEK | September 26, 2007

3.0 Stars

APOLITICAL EDEN: Love and lust in the Middle East.

Piquant little bons mots like “If a gay suicide bomber goes to Heaven, does he get 72 virgin boys or 72 muscular men?” lighten up Eytan Fox’s gay Middle Eastern Romeo-and-Juliet tragedy in which two men find themselves caught between their Israeli and their Palestinian roots. The title refers to the apolitical Eden a trio of roommates have carved out for themselves in Tel Aviv — that is, till Noam (Ohad Knoller) falls for an Arab, Ashraf (Yousef Sweid), while pulling checkpoint duty. To blend in, Ashraf poses as an Israeli waiter, but in the end the bigger political world bursts their “bubble.” Fox, who made Yossi & Jagger, may be best known for his racy, in-your-face depiction of gay sex, but here he delves into the cycle of never-ending violence with impartiality and compassion. The complexities and the subtle human moments bring new life to gay cinema, and they cast a self-reflective light on the crisis in the Middle East.

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Topics: Reviews , Terrorism, War and Conflict, Suicide Attacks, More

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