louis b
The social and partnership conflicts were pretty well expressed in the film, however There were way too many lingering shots of Faces Silent and staring off into space.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
09/14/24
Full Review
Robert S
The film did not have a clear point of view. The couple were not very sympathetic characters.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
03/16/24
Full Review
Brent M
A desire for creating surroundings that are nice, tidy and pleasant is certainly laudable, but what if that drive for pristine perfection goes south, with the emergence of unexpected circumstances and consequences that seriously undercut such intentions? Such is the case when a gay couple, Ben (Shlomi Bertonov) and Raz (Ariel Wolf), move into a Tel Aviv neighborhood just beginning the process of gentrification. As expectant parents, they hope their child will grow up in a civil, multicultural area free of crime and bad influences, backed by positive attributes, such as a clean, safe environment. Ben even does his by part by going so far as to plant a tree to add to the ambiance. But, when he witnesses neighbors treating it badly, he grows incensed and informs the authorities, igniting a firestorm of issues that prompt him to question his supposedly liberal values, raising questions about fairness and tolerance vs. privilege, not to mention hypocrisy. While the story is somewhat light on plot, it nevertheless subtly by effectively addresses issues related to one's character and authenticity. True, writer-director Idan Haguel's third feature outing probably could have benefitted from a more developed narrative, but its incisive look at what we say and what we actually do gives even the most self-righteous among us much to consider, especially when it comes to walking our talk. We can learn a lot from some well-considered reflection, and "Concerned Citizen" gives us a spot-on look at that question, one we should all take seriously from time to time.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
06/20/23
Full Review
Glenn G
Witness For The Persecution - Film Review: Concerned Citizen ★★★★
Ben (Shlomi Bertonov) lives in a lovely apartment in an up and coming Tel Aviv neighborhood with his boyfriend Raz (Ariel Wolf). Their Roomba cleans their floors every morning like clockwork as they enjoy their protein shakes and head off to the gym. At night they have a straight couple over for dinner, dance wildly, and reveal their plans to have a baby through surrogacy. They love the idea of raising the child in their multicultural environment but in the same breath imply positively that it's gentrifying. Ben has earlier shown his care for the neighborhood by planting a tree on his street. They seem like a model gay couple in a modern world.
After the party, however, Ben looks out his window and sees a couple of his Eritrean immigrant neighbors leaning against his new sapling. He rushes out to ask them to stop and they comply. Something in Ben's manner, however, suggests a little more anger than the situation calls for, especially when he walks away in a bit of a huff and subsequently calls the police. Furthermore, he lies by telling law enforcement that the city planted the tree. At this point, it's easy to chalk it up to frustration. A little later, Ben hears a commotion outside and witnesses the police brutally beating one of the neighbors. He watches blankly and then goes to bed.
What follows in writer/director Idan Haguel's remarkable exploration of white guilt and virtue signaling, Concerned Citizen, is extremely difficult to discuss in a review. One can easily expect the narrative to explore a gay couple's journey to becoming parents and can easily follow that arc, but the story also comes with so many cracks which take it in another direction. It forces the viewer to question how we view the person at the center of a narrative. Do we even like them? Are they a good person?
Ben certainly feels a level of guilt for bringing harm to his neighbor, but what he does with his feelings left me shaken. I had to watch this film twice just to catch every little transgression, every little sleight of hand. I fell into the trap of wanting the best for two gay men wanting to have a child, that I too easily overlooked so many small things which added up to tell me that Idan Haguel has something else on his mind entirely.
First, he gets so many details exactly right. Bertonov and Wolf feel like a real couple, with the decline in sex which so many experience, because they actually are one. His cinematographer Guy Sahaf and editor Shauly Melamed have fantastic storytelling abilities in the way they slyly introduce the surroundings and how they foster Ben's paranoia and ever-increasing levels of disgust. As the film progresses, Ben, who initially so handsome, starts to look more gaunt, more angular, more sinister. It's a fascinating and subtle transformation. Bertonov gives a terrific performance, reminding me of Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon. You can feel the heat and mounting tension on his face as the screws turn on him throughout.
As the film becomes more and more honest with its intentions, it has gone so far afield from its cute gayby storyline and morphs into something you might recognize more from some "Karen" level viral social media post instead. As such, it took me a minute to catch my breath. I looked at the screen and thought, "What have you done to my cute little gay movie?" But once I collected myself, I grew much more appreciative of this provocative, wise, in-your-face look at a film which dares to ask if it's important to have empathy or if it's more important to let people know that you're empathetic. Sound like someone you know? I thought so.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
06/09/23
Full Review
Hilarious movie! Can't stop laughing!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
06/04/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Shockingly poor film.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
06/04/23
Full Review
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