Ezrah Mudag (Hebrew) [Concerned Citizen]

This film was very very interesting, not necessarily amazing though. With a very novel premise, it is a film that is trying really hard to be about something, and to make meaningful social commentary, but it fails somewhat in its execution. The film sits on an odd balance, and by the time it ended I wasn't sure of this was supposed to be a satire or a pure introspection of a single individual, who wrestles with his own guilt and biases in a manner that doesn’t pay off for anybody but himself.

Ben and his partner ar a very happy couple, living the dream in a nice flat they got in a good deal, but the problem is that the neighborhood is a bit run-down and migrant heavy. They have lots of lush plants, drink green juice every morning and are planning to have a baby via surrogate. Ben even planted a tree on the street outside in an attempt to liven up the area. One night, after his pleas go ignored, he calls the police on two immigrant men who keep leaning against it and tilting it pretty heavily, risking damage. Same night he witnesses a police brutality on one of those guys and this is where his inner guilt begins. Through shrink , we find he thinks he helped the guy, but he really didn't. That incident just refuses to leave him, with guilt and the idea of gentrification running throughout parallel in the film. Suddenly Ben is contemplating selling's apartment without confusing in his partner. He thinks he is a concerned citizen but he is all about gentrification while also telling himself that maybe he is for the welfare of the migrant people. In a very awkward finale, the incident repeats where he calls the cops again (or maybe it is supposed to be an alternate version of what should have happened, when Ben calls on the cops first time for two guys leaning against the tree), Ben picks up fight with cops, his partner makes a video threatening them to make police brutality public.

What could have been a journey of discovery is here explored mostly from Ben's point of view, to whom immigrant lives are figures in his computer modeling neighborhood environment, but never lives lived. The film follows through with his viewpoint, and it falls short. It seems more preoccupied with the main character's concerned attitude, and forgets the light-hearted gay attitude that his own partner showcases. Ben seems to settle down for a way to relieve his guilt at any cost rather than sincerely knowing his surroundings. Creating a story about privilege and lack of awareness of race issues, while literally only focusing on a privileged person and giving no attention to the victim of the story, entirely undermines its message. To be fair, it does also seem to get slightly confused about its message towards the end, turning away from learning, listening and being more aware to feeling as though its lead is attempting to embrace his prejudice instead. The story was very new, novel but I still don't understand what perspective was the film maker trying to take. As far as actors are concerned, the all do a good job, with Ben clearly leading the film by himself from start to end and he does a good job, except his character just doesn't know what he is supposed to feel. There’s a constant battle between what lines he will or won’t cross, and whether or not he cares if he does.

The film with a gay couple at its center, could have been a very interesting social commentary on sometimes people make life choices while living in a world full of racism. However, it then goes in a direction which entirely conflicts with that idea and leads it down a road which didn’t really have anything to offer. It was still very watchable, but with a very half-baked message; you are not sure what message are you supposed to take back home with you. (4.5/10)