This rather tedious drama about teen disenchantment and rebellion set in an Israeli suburb stars Sivan Noam Shimon as Naama, a 17-year-old schoolgirl trying to get by in an oppressive household. Keeping to herself at home, where her hulking, overbearing father, Gidon (Dvir Benedek), casts a suspicious eye on everyone, Naama spends her time engaging in minor acts of alienation. But the bar is raised when she meets Dana (Jade Sakori), a free-spirited student and lesbian who leads Naama into a world of drugs, clubbing, and carnal adventurousness. Writer-director Michal Vinick serves up little that is visually interesting or energized in these adolescent antics, and he seems more at home with domestic drama, particularly when the racist Gidon mounts a search for Naama's older sister, who has disappeared and is rumored to have taken up with a Palestinian boyfriend. Naama's inevitable disillusionment with Dana, who is always looking for the next kick, adds some poignancy to the story, but Blush is often as boring as its lead character is bored. Optional. (T. Keogh)
Blush
Film Movement, 85 min., in Hebrew & Arabic w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99, Feb. 7 Volume 32, Issue 2
Blush
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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