Movie Review: Live and Become

The last time that Tamar and I saw a movie in a theater was Under the Tuscan Sun, which has become a bit of a joke for us. Primarily because we didn't think it was a great film and secondly, because if we had waited 3.5 years to go out again, we would have liked our last movie date to be a great one.

Well, if we wait another 3.5 years, I think we'll be better off this time. At the historic Avalon Theatre in DC, we watched "Live and Become", a fascinating tale in three languages (Hebrew, Amharic, and French w/English subtitles-since my Amharic is a bit weak!) about a non-Jewish Ethiopian boy who stealthily integrates with the Falasha Jewish community during Operation Moses in 1984 to escape disease and famine.

Over the next few years, he must continually pass himself off as a Jew (an interesting twist on other movies where Jews have to pass themselves off as non-Jews) and integrate into Israeli society.

He sees the best of Israeli society-the only time in history where Black Africans were removed from Africa by a White nation for the purpose of freedom and not slavery and the worst-many racist views on the part of "white" Israelis and doubts casted re: the authenticity of the Ethiopians' Jewishness.

And, of course, the usual love interest works its way into it as do numerous contemporary events (Gulf War, Intifada). The movie does a good job of relaying the Israeli attitude with its "in your face" attitude.

It's 2.5 hours long, but doesn't feel that way. A solid movie.

Here's the trailer.