Sdakim (2018)

Sdakim: Directed by Arik Lubetzki. With Liat Ekta, Tzufit Grant, Shlomi Koriat, Shmuel Vilozni. Oded, a renowned professor and scientific researcher, is on his way to receiveing a prestigious award, accompanied by his wife Merav. A call comes in from the police, asking him to stop by to answer a few questions. In an instant, their world crumbles. Noa, an under graduate student of his, has placed charges of sexual coercion. After a confrontation with Noa he denies any romantic liaisons. He is forced to confess lying about their affair after being presented with evidence and advised by the family’s attorney. This results in a harsh reckoning with his wife Merav at the police station. The media gets wind of the story and the resulting shaming in the social networks hits hard, and alerts their youngest son, who demands explanations. Noa’s life is not left unscathed, having to confront both her mother, who demands she’ll cover up the whole thing, and Merav who pressures her into putting a stop to this disaster. The film takes place in a single day, where the family’s life comes apart. Merav maneuvers between her anger at Oded, who she blames of ignoring her their entire relationship, and the need to protect her family. She stands by Oded, knowing their lives will never be the same again.

“u0026quot;Fracturesu0026quot; started out as a play, and its theatrical roots stick out. There is not a lot of dynamic visual interest, and there are long dialogues that sound more crafted than spontaneous, at a nervously speedy pace that detracts from the realism. The two lead roles are played by stars who are well liked but are in and out of the acting business– one also known as a TV interviewer and the other as a comedian and sometime politician. They get the job done, but theyu0026#39;re not up to the level of, say, Levana Finkelstein, a prize-winning veteran with a brief role here as the mother of the third side of the triangle. That side is played by Liat Etka, who I have to admit I failed to recognize from the quite recent u0026quot;Noble Savageu0026quot; which earned her a best-actress nomination. Her character here is ambiguous, but unfortunately not because she sends contradictory signals but merely because other people contradict her. The story is in the dialogue, and for the most part itu0026#39;s a worthwhile story, touching on important issues. The movie is time well spent, just not very strongly cinematic.”