THE BUBBLE — * 1/2 — Ohad Knoller, Yousef Sweid, Daniella Wircer; with English subtitles (Hebrew and Arabic dialects); not rated, probable R (sex, violence, vulgarity, nudity, profanity, brief drugs, brief gore)
"The Bubble" is all about politics. World politics and sexual politics. The film is obsessed with them.
In fact, this Israeli-made drama is perhaps too overtly political for its own good. Co-screenwriter/director Eytan Fox is so out to prove a point — several points — that he neglects to create characters or situations an audience would want to watch.
That includes the film's laughably awful ending, a heavy-handed moment that the filmmaker tips his hat to very early. (If you can't see the conclusion coming, you're not paying attention, which is understandable.)
The film's title refers to a metaphoric "bubble" of seeming ignorance in Tel Aviv, which is a bit removed from the continuing Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. Still, three residents there — Noam (Ohad Knoller), Lulu (Daniella Wircer) and Yelli (Alon Freidmann) — are doing what they can for the peace efforts. They're even helping plan a huge rave party for peace.
The three roommates are also trying to help out Noam's new boyfriend, Ashraf (Yousef Sweid), a Palestinian who's fleeing from the fighting and from his rather traditional family. They take Ashraf in and try to pass him off as being an Israeli named Shimi.
Fox has already explored a lot of similar material in earlier films, such as his 2002 gay-soldier tale "Yossi & Jagger" and 2004's "Walk on Water." Here it almost feels as if he's repeating himself.
He does get a fiery performance from Wircer, though. She's the one thing the film has going for it.
"The Bubble" is not rated but would probably receive an R for scenes depicting gay and straight sex, violent imagery (war footage, as well as a terror bombing), strong sexual language (frank sex talk, vulgar slang and profanity), male and female nudity, brief drug content (references and hypodermic needle use), and brief gore. Running time: 117 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com