Munich

So my wife an I just got a special dispensation - well, OK, grandma suggested she'd come and babysit - and went on a date to see Munich.

I won't say much about the content. I think it's an excellent script, maybe a bit shallow at times but overall pretty well done.

My biggest problem was that the movie never felt authentic to me. The actors were simply not convincing. As an Israeli, I have never Israelies - nor Arabs or Palestinians - who behave as they do in the movie. It's nothing major, but a lot of little subtleties that would obviously be lost on anyone who did not grow up in Israel. Body language, expression, how they emoted... it just didn't work for me, I could not for any length of time suspend my disbelief enough in order to get into the movie. Everything just felt a little bit "off", constantly.

I think the only moment where I actually felt something was when they did that excellent closeup on the face of Avner's little girl on the stairs in the Brooklyn. Beautiful cinema, right there. But there wasn't any other moment like that, and I just found myself wanting them to get through the motions by about halfway through.

I fully understand how this movie can be a tremendous experience for its intended audience. To me, it just didn't feel real most of the time. Oh well. Difficult subject, and kudos to Spielberg all the same.