As a minor neighbourhood dispute escalates into a full-blown courtroom drama, the nation is watching as long-held prejudices and tribal hatred are unleashed in Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri’s latest film. It also has a large number of stateless Palestinians who are ill-treated and barely tolerated even by fellow Arabs. The fuse is lit when mechanic Tony Hanna (Adel Karam), a Christian, rudely resists efforts by Yasser Salameh (Kamel El Basha), a Palestinian worker, to fix an illegal drain leading from his balcony. When Yasser’s boss insists that he apologize to Tony for his well-intended efforts, Tony hurls a cruel insult and gets a couple of busted ribs in the process. The courtroom drama is handled adeptly as arguments are weighed from both perspectives and a final moment, when both adversaries face each other across a tumultuous divide, is sublimely powerful.

Source: thestar January 25, 2018 19:30 UTC