
OrnaPoratisagrandedameofIsraelitheater,andYossiPollaktooisatthetopoftheAlist:whenmountinganancientormodernmasterpiece,thesearetheactorsyouwouldtrustonstage.It'sseldomeitherofthemtakesafilmrolethesedays,soNAOMIisalreadyaneventofsignificance.Thetitlecharacterisabeautifulyoungwoman--thedialogoccasionallyremindsushowbeautifulsheis,andhowmysterious--butherrole,asactedbyMelaniePeres,doesnotcontributeaweightthatcounterbalancestheexpressivelysaggingfacesoftheveteranactors;itiseasiertoconsiderthatthemovieisallabouthowsheaffectstheothersthanthatitisevenpartlyaboutherasaperson.WhatdrivesthemovieisthetensionofthesituationsbesettingPollak(includingpossiblecriminalsuspicion),withsomeblacklycomicreliefthatasoftenasnotinvolvesPoratashissharp-tonguedmother.TheHebrewtitleofthemovieis,moreorless,ERUPTIONOFX,referringtoacosmicphenomenonthatoccurswhencelestialbodiesaretooclosetogether.Asidefromtheideathateruptionsmayhappenwhenpeoplearetooclosetogether,themovieseemstohavenograndtheme,anditalsohasnograndcinematiceffects.Asidefromthebenefitofdetailasthecamerarestsontheactors'faces,thisisamoviethatwouldlosenothingonthesmallscreenandformanyminutesatatimecouldevenjustaswellbeonthestage.Butthesuspenseanduneasinessbuildquicklyandremainwellsustained,thestoryistight,theimpressivetalentsofthemajoractorsarenotwasted,andifIwerethemogulwiththebudgets,IwouldthinkseriouslyaboutplanningaHollywoodremakeofthistensevehicleforveteranactors.


