Metallic Blues

If you think Hollywood alone is capable of turning out “road movies,” think again: the offbeat, Israeli-made romp Metallic Blues is every bit as wacky as homegrown specimens, and its two stars, Avi Kushnir and Moshe Ivgy (winner of an Israeli Best Supporting Actor award), are roughly comparable to older versions of our own Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, the engaging duo featured in Swingers, Made, and Just Your Luck. When blustery, irrepressible Shmuel (Kushnir) and his dour, wary friend Siso (Ivgy)—a pair of used car dealers—come across a 1985 Lincoln Continental limousine, their dreams appear to be answered, since the car is worth a small fortune to a wealthy German collector. There's just one catch: to cash in, the two Jews have to deliver it personally—which means driving into Holocaust country, where (of course) they will run into obstacles. Director Danny Verete stays sharply focused on the principal plot thread, while revealing a keen eye for detail, serving up many small but perceptive observations about the sometimes-contentious relationship between the two lead characters. Recommended. (E. Hulse)