White Night

Arnon Zadok's 1996 drama is based on a true story of an unlikely bond between two mismatched Israeli inmates: Shlomo (Sharon Alexander), a white-collar first-time offender, and Charlie (Shalom Shmuelov), a hardened convict who wields a boss-type authority within their cell block. Shlomo is unprepared for the violent hierarchy in his new confines, but he's befriended by Charlie, who has his own demon—a deep-rooted drug addiction that incarceration has not been able to exorcise. Shlomo offers to help Charlie kick his habit—no mean feat, since the withdrawal process is likely to weaken Charlie physically, thereby jeopardizing his status within his surroundings. Unlike many action-oriented prison dramas, White Night focuses on humane relations between convicts, and the sense of friendship and mutual support between the two main characters is often absorbing, although the film sometimes nearly veers into melodrama (especially towards the end). One might also quibble with Zadok's decision to shoot in grainy black and white, which gives the production a visual style that's a bit too arty. Nonetheless, White Night is an interesting addition to the growing canon of adventurous Israeli movies. DVD extras include a Cannes Film Festival featurette. Recommended. (P. Hall)