Amreeka!

Monday night was the season opener for the Spring session of Cinema 10. Attendance was a little lower than I had expected, as people generally come out in droves for the first film of the season. People seemed in good spirits, though, responding well to Holly's pleas for the audience to do well by their garbage and to support local businesses. The mood of the film was appropriate for a season opener: light-hearted but somewhat commanding.

"Amreeka (2009)" follows a Palestinian woman (Muna) and her son (Fadi) as they travel to America to seek out better lives for themselves. We're introduced to them by way of their cramped, uncomfortable home life that is constantly interrupted by military check points and nagging mothers; it's a life that the viewing audience does not envy. Pathos is established here - blah, blah, blah. It's a relatively tame opening and offers nothing fresh to the cinematic world (though experiencing their plight alongside them is frustrating). Where the film gets interesting is when they finally arrive in America and are immediately subjected to culture clashes that make our pair long for the home they so desperately fled. But the politics p`resent in this type of film are set aside for the most part, and that's why this film is refreshing. It becomes less about a woman being of foreign descent, and more about trying to fit into a world that does not want anyone new.

Muna, a banker in her homeland, seeks out employment at any of the 400 banks surrounding her now house, only to find that the language barrier stops all her efforts dead. Naturally, she resorts to a fast food restaurant. Despite her success, she feels a great deal of shame and so hides the fact from all those close to her. Meanwhile, her son becomes involved in disputes with local racists, and the plot unfolds from there in a predictable way that is both satisfying and disappointing. I won't spoil anything, because it's a film that is definitely worth watching, and almost certainly worth re-watching. That is not to say that the political lining (which is ever-present) is so dense that it cannot possibly be comprehended in a single viewing. I just mean that the film was entertaining and suggested a political agenda in a way that wasn't overwhelming.

Also noteworthy is the film's camera work. It seems as though the film makers employed hand-held cameras for the majority of this film, and the way they utilize them gives the audience the feeling that they're not only watching, but experiencing. The shots feel as though they're from the perspective of a member of the family standing just in the background.


Verdict: Just Stoked. While I probably won't buy this movie, I would watch it again should the opportunity present itself. There are certain movies that are so dense and depressing that I can only condone a single viewing per year (Ahem...), and this definitely doesn't fall into that category. One friend said that this is on her on-demand list on Cable where she lives. Check it out if you've got the luxury.