146. Holy Lands; movie review

HOLY LANDS
Cert 15
100 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language

I am a non-believer but I often think if God did exist he must have a very warped sense of humour to allow such misery in the world.
Ah, but that's not his doing, say the faithful, seemingly claiming that the bad stuff is our fault or even the devil's and God just offers us the best bits.
Love, for example, that's a sprinkling of God's gold dust... presumably, until it goes bad and then Satan must have been allowed in.
I digress hugely.
James Caan's character Harry was brought up Jewish but has lost his faith, emigrated to Israel and now brings up pigs, much to the anger of the local rabbi (Tom Hollander).
Meanwhile, he has a very distant relationship with his children (Efrat Dor and Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and an erratic one with his ex-wife (Rosanna Arquette).
Much of the movie surrounds Harry's demolition of religion while questioning his lack of empathy with other people.
Essentially, he is a grumpy old man who has a habit of winding up anyone in his sights or even those on the end of a phone or letter.
Amanda Sthers' movie has some intriguing touches - notably Harry's deliberate antagonism of Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders through his pigs and pig-headedness.
Meanwhile, Arquette's character faces a life or death issue back in America while trying to build bridges with her estranged son and unfocused daughter.
Holy Lands has a great cast with some super acting and does pose some intriguing questions but it meanders without any obvious spikes.
It left me feeling as if I needed quite a bit more meat to have been fully nourished.

Reasons to watch: James Caan in great irascible form
Reasons to avoid: It will be too slow for some

Laughs: Chuckles rather than laughs
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Jewish atheism refers to the atheism of people who are ethnically and (at least to some extent) culturally Jewish. Because Jewish identity encompasses ethnic as well as religious components, the term "Jewish atheism" does not inherently entail a contradiction.

The final word. Amanda Sthers: "I read an article in a very serious French newspaper explaining how to raise pigs in Israel. And I found the paradox hilarious, of course. And for once, Muslims and Jews are agreeing on something — or more precisely, against the same thing." npr

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