Paradise Now (2005) Synopsis:
"Paradise Now" is the story of what may be the last 48 hours in the lives of two Palestinian men - friends since childhood - who have been recruited as suicide bombers. When they are intercepted at the Israeli border and separated from their handlers, a young woman who discovers their plan causes them to reconsider their actions. But with pressure mounting, time running out, and passions running high...there's no way to know which way they will go.
"Paradise Now" is especially noteworthy because it gives voice to Palestinian condemnation of violence. As a testament to its humanity and its balanced portrayal of such volatile subject matter, the film has received official backing from the Israeli government.
Paradise Now (2005) Movie Review:
This film is an insightful, provocative examination of terrorism, as well as a thoughtful look at the Palestine-Israel situation. It's also a crackling, entertaining dramatic thriller that everyone should see.
Said and Khaled (Nashef and Suliman) are happy-go-lucky buddies in the occupied West Bank, drifting from job to job without worrying too much. Said is interested in Suha (Azabal), daughter of a famous martyr. And then a friend (Hlehel) tells them they've been chosen for a suicide bomb mission in Tel Aviv. Suddenly their life becomes gravely serious as they grapple with the issues, face their doubts and embark on a mission that doesn't remotely go to plan.
Yes, this story is told from the PLO perspective, and it is definitely sympathetic to their cause. But the filmmakers take a deeply personal approach, and as a result they can probe political issues with an emotional resonance that avoids preachiness and vilification. Set alongside Spielberg's similarly themed Munich, this film feels much more engaging and perceptive, and also more suspenseful, since the situations feel strikingly real, photographed with documentary simplicity.
The actors are also raw and honest as warm-hearted, complicated guys whose life is interrupted by a higher cause. Their families and friends are oblivious, although Said's mother (Abbass) knows something's up. And their decision to go forward with the plan is wrenching--from "In one hour we'll be heroes, with God in heaven" to "Is there no other way?" We feel the situation of a people group asked to accept inferiority, not democracy. They have no choice but to respond with their own bodies, even though they know it won't actually change anything.
This simple, unadorned filmmaking gets into the minds and hearts of its characters without judging them. It's so plainly truthful that it forces us to accept the validity of their motivation even if we detest their actions. By presenting life's detailed banality, filmmaker Abu-Assad actually manages to say something new about a thorny situation. Add nervewracking suspense, gripping emotion and the subtle but clear statement that violence solves nothing and only provokes more revenge. It's a knotty, challenging knockout of a film.
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Paradise Now (2005) review written by: Rich Cline
7th September, 2008 
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