I do not know whether the debut as a feature films director at the age of 57 is a record, but I’m sure it’s a rarity. Yet, Joe El Dror is not a new name for the Israeli public, being known as a playwright, translator and screenwriter. He reached fame in the 1990s when he was co-author of one of the most popular satire programs in the history of Israeli television, after which he somehow disappeared from public attention. His comeback with the movie ‘Bli Dam’ (‘No Blood’) to which he is also the screenwriter as well as (debutante) director brings him back to the public’s attention. A comeback in strength and quality, as ‘Bli Dam‘ is in my opinion one of the most interesting and best made Israeli movies in recent years.
To some extent, Manny, the main character of the film, may be considered an alter-ego of the director. He, like Joe El Dror, is a theater man and a writer, but he has not written for a long time. He is a lecturer at a theater school, but his art seems to be disconnected from the interest of the students. The reason for the drought of his inspiration, however, may come from some place else. He and his best friend (from the kindergarten!) have a ‘special’ military past, including non specified ultra-secret missions. Their failures may be delayed post-trauma cases. Manny, Roni and his wife are a triangle of middle-class youngsters, OK from a material point of view, but who fail to achieve anything on any plan, professional, personal or sentimental. Light drugs or superficial relationships do not offer an alternative. The appearance of a beautiful and mysterious woman in Manny’s life may offer an opportunity to find some interest, but she will bring with her unexpected dangers.
One of the secrets to the quality of ‘Bli Dam‘ is the ambiguity. At no time are we sure as spectators what kind of film we see. Like in life. The film begins as a romantic story in Tel Aviv’s ‘yuppie’ environment, to take soon a thriller path. The two plans, romantic and thriller, continue in parallel and intensify. The feeling must be familiar to Israeli spectators and not only to the Israeli ones. What kind of world do we live in? Is there any substance in the superficial world of our entertainment and relationships? Can we ignore our past, wars, or the threats around us? Can we trust the woman we know and love, or the best friends, or the well-known reporters that bring us the news at the TV stations? Scenarist and director Joe El Dror intelligently manages to make us ask these questions, alongside telling a story that oscillates between romantic and thriller, and also reserves us a final twist, which puts under a question mark everything that what we have seen before. Each viewer will have to draw his own conclusions.
What I liked. The sublimed but the more effective political message. The story telling, its ambiguity, the fact that you can approach this movie from many points of view and more you think about it, more you can find new meanings. The dialogues. The highly professional cinematography, showing the city of Tel Aviv and the interiors of Israeli houses. The acting with one exception. What I liked less. The actress playing Rona disappoints. She should have become the magical – erotic and thriller – pivot of the film. I do not know if it is the actress or director’s fault, but she did not succeed.
I can just hope that Joe El Dror will soon compensate for his late debut with a few more films, with the talent and professionalism that he demonstrates in ‘Bli Dam‘ .