Review of The Band's Visit (2007) by Shane R — 15 Jan 2009

Here is a pleasant and honest depiction of two clashing cultures finding common ground on a very human level. An Eqyptian police band is stranded in a small Israeli town for a night where the cultural center they are to perform at doesn't even exist.

Sassan Gabai gives a heartfelt and subtle performance as the bandleader, a closed off, conservative man carrying tremendous grief who finds a connection with a charming cafe waitress. The two spend much of the night together examining not the ethnic differences between them, but the emotional divide that can exist between anyone.

The humor is subtle without being too narrow, creating some sweet scenes that bring a smile to one's face (like an officer helping out a lovelorn man get a girl). The cinematography is modest in its cool tones and the pacing rythmic enough to be engaging.

Any political message about the regions stays in the background, taking a backseat to a story concerned only with people.