The Band's Visit
Director: Eran Kolirin
Year Released: 2007
Rating: 2.0
An Egyptian police band travels to Israel to perform at a newly opened center dedicated to Arab culture, but they get bad directions and end up in the wrong place, requiring food and shelter from a shop keeper and one of her patrons. Exists in some fantasy world where Arabs and Jews can share time and experiences together with minimal discomfort - little is mentioned of centuries-old conflict and there are only two quick glimpses of photos of Joe Biden and an Israeli tank. The quiet, minimal approach allows for some charming (and telling) moments (especially the scene at the roller rink where an Egyptian offers love advice to an Israeli) but it's also lightweight and its deadpan moments aren't as refined as a filmmaker with a similar style, Jim Jarmusch.
