A 5 Minute Walk

In this Israeli film noir-ish thriller, hardboiled police detective Amir Samo (Sharon Alexander) has slowly been closing the net around Tel Aviv's biggest crook, a shrewd pimp and drug dealer named Tziki (Alon Abutbul). Now, after finally obtaining the evidence he needs, Amir is just one day away from making the biggest pinch of his career. But in a stunning turnaround, two prostitutes working for Tziki accuse Amir of sexual harassment, effectively stopping the detective in his tracks and giving the master criminal a reprieve while Amir tries to clear his name. Although the Israeli city location here isn't quite on a par with New York or Los Angeles, it certainly has its share of “mean streets,” which writer-director Itai Lev uses to good advantage in the staging of this suspenseful crime drama. In mood and tone, A 5 Minute Walk is remarkably similar to urban-based noirs turned out by Hollywood. And, on the acting front, Alexander has the perfect demeanor for his role—world-weary, rumpled, and cynical—while Abutbul, most recently seen on the big screen as a terrorist in Body of Lies, is even better as the suavely sinister Tziki. Recommended. (E. Hulse)