Close to Home

Written and directed by Dalia Hager and Vidi Bilu, the Israeli drama Close to Home succeeds as both a thoughtful character study of two 18-year-old women conscripted into the Israeli military and a compelling portrait of contemporary life in the Holy Land. At first glance, the dutiful and by-the-book Mirit (Naama Schendar) appears to have little in common with the rebellious and fiercely independent Smadar (Smadar Sayar). But when the two are paired up to patrol the streets of Jerusalem (where they are assigned to check the IDs of Palestinian commuters and remain vigilant for the threat of suicide bombers), the women gradually form an emerging friendship. Much of the film deals with typical concerns (including boyfriends and current fashions), albeit played out against a backdrop of boredom, stress, and the constant threat of a terrorist attack. Close to Home wisely steers clear of any overtly political content, keeping its story on an intimate human scale that is far more effective than in-your-face polemics. Recommended. (J. Shannon)