Review of Campfire (2004) by Redwan Z — 08 Aug 2007

Srael, 1981. Recently widowed mother-of-two Rachael (Michaela Eshet).

Applies for a position on the founding committee of a new settlement.

On the West Bank. Meanwhile, her eldest daughter has embarked on an.

Ill-fated relationship with an army conscript while the younger is.

Beginning to come to terms with her own sexuality.

Given the setting and the above synopsis, one could be forgiven for.

Thinking that American-born Joseph Cedar's Campfire would be a rather.

Po-faced, worthy affair. However, any fears in that department are.

Quickly put to rest with the opening narration from the younger.

Daughter, Tami (Hani Furstenberg), who assures us that this year she.

Means to 'Be happy, no matter what.' It's ironic then that the sweet.

And appealing Tami gets the roughest deal of the three as the film.

Progresses towards the titular campfire.

Cedar's cast of characters is uniformly likeable, with strong.

Performances all around and a fine sense of time and place, hideous.

Eighties fashions included. Having said that, the framing device of.

Tami's narration suggests a coming-of-age tale that never really.

Materialises. Cedar himself seems to like his characters too much to.

Allow anything really dramatic to happen to them and, although there.

Are some standout scenes (especially between Rachael and would-be.

Suitor Yossi - a fine, bittersweet performance by Moshe Ivgy) they.

Don't really build to an emotionally satisfying climax.

The setting, too, has a vague air of novelty about it. The politics of.

Rachael's decision to move her family to a new settlement are never.

Explored, apart from her remark that she 'believes in the cause',.

Although it's never made clear if even this remark is truthful or an.

Attempt to sway to male-ccentric settlement committee to allow her to.

Join. Campfire could really be set anywhere, at anytime, in the last.

Thirty years and perhaps that's the point. Certainly Rachael is a.

Strong-minded woman in a society where such things are frowned upon.

But even this is not examined with much depth. Possibly Cedar, mindful.

Of the slew of films on the Middle-East conflict, chose to steer clear.

Of the era's politics but a little more context would have benefited.

The film greatly.

All of which is not to say that Campfire isn't worth your time. The.

Excellent performances alone are enough to recommend the film, just.

Don't expect anything particularly original or enlightening.