Next Year In Jerusalem (1999/Water Bearer DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: D Feature: C+
Manny is
a sexually oppressed Jewish man being forced into an arranged marriage, while
Charlie is also of the same faith, but living freer in the openly Gay community
of the West Village. They meet and
things begin to happen in Writer/Director David Nahmod’s Next Year In Jerusalem (1999) which was more shocking in its time
than now, yet nothing is too graphic here and it is obviously still dealing
with taboo subjects.
The cast
of mostly unknowns is not bad, though the appearance of Georgina Spelvin as a
mother is amusing. At 103 minutes, the
film never wears out its welcome, but at the same time, there are only so many
places it can go since it has one central, obvious goal. Still, it is ambitious and those interested
will not be entirely disappointed.
The 1.33
X 1 image originated on analog videotape and nine years later, shows its age in
softness and other video flaws, though editing is not that bad. Compositions can be awkward, though. The Dolby Digital 2.0 is on the monophonic
side, but is not horrible, but you will have to turn it up and be careful when
switching audio sources. There are no
extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
