Hiya
There was another Nat film at Cannes – the slightly smaller budgeted Free Zone. It had it’s Cannes premiere today but reaction hasn’t been great. Melody emailed me earlier to say that she didn’t really enjoy it and that the general buzz was slightly negative.
Sonoyta is doing a great job finding reviews…
But it is Natalie Portman who has shown the most range among the repeat performers here, playing an American living in Israel (and travelling to Jordan) in Amos Gitai’s “Free Zone” and a galactic senator (and Mrs. Darth Vader) in George Lucas’s “Revenge of the Sith,” which was shown out of competition. In the first shot of “Free Zone,” Ms. Portman weeps in a car. And weeps. And weeps some more, while a pop version of the Passover song “Had Gadya” plays on the soundtrack. It’s a song with a lot of verses, and Mr. Gitai makes Ms. Portman cry through the whole thing. It goes on much to long to be emotionally effective, but in that four or five minute stretch she does more real acting than she did in the whole Star Wars triology.
Given this year’s Competition selections, the most competitive race might be for worst of the fest: If such a low honor existed, the Palme d’Ud, “Free Zone” would be a front-runner.
A road picture mired by unsteady camera work, lackadaisical pacing and cumbersome speechmaking, “Free Zone” is an excruciating cinematic trek. Israeli director Amos Gitai’s narrative, both visually and conversationally, is a disappointing dud.
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Despite the deficiencies of the direction, the performances are a zone above: Laslo is empathetic as the beleagured and undeniably bellicose Israeli woman, while Hiam Abbass sparkles as the Palestinian woman who carries her own tribulations. Portman is essentially a “Tonto” character, a receptacle for Hanna’s rants and musings.
Free Zone opens with a ten-minute shot of Natalie Portman weeping (this apparently follows the scene with the Wailing Wall smooch, which didn?t make the cut). She weeps well and copiously.
As far as the script allows her, Portman acquits herself at an OK level as an American conflicted by her mixed ethnicity.
Sigh, it’s a pity. But I’d rather she do interesting little disappointments than big boring money makers.