A Sweet Little Movie: "The Band's Visit"

Last night I saw "The Band's Visit," the Israeli movie that was loudly disqualified from Academy Award consideration for best foreign language film because just over 50% of its dialogue is in English.

Writer/director Eran Kolirin's debut feature is a grand celebration of little human moments -- funny, touching, probing. It's about an Egyptian police band that arrives in Israel to discover that no one has come to pick them up. They take a bus to the wrong town -- a desolate, lonely town -- where they spend the night with curious and bored Israeli hosts.

At the center of the story is the distinguished, middle-aged conductor of the 8-member band, played by Sasson Gabai (think Ben Kingsley), who is worried about the band's future. The much younger restaurant owner, played by Ronit Elkabetz, turns her brazen sexual charm into high gear for the evening, which unfolds in surprising ways for both of them.

Then there's the young rookie in the band, a lady's man who counsels one of the locals step by step on a date. And the assistant conductor just might find inspiration in the unlikeliest place to finally finish the concerto he's been writing for years.

Somehow, the film gets us laughing at all these characters and at the same time seeing them as real, full-blooded people. Of course, without needing to say anything, the film also explores the tensions and affections between Arabs and Israelis.

The film just opened in Los Angeles and New York, and hopefully will spread throughout our own lonely and hopeful land.