Hana Laszlo won a Cannes Best Actress award for her portrayal of Hanna, an Israeli taxi driver, in this drama. Headed to the Free Zone to collect money owed to her husband, Hanna picks up Rebecca (Natalie Portman), a frazzled American who begs to come along. But retrieving the money won't be easy; the two wind up on a strange journey with a Palestinian woman (Hiam Abbass) who reveals that Hanna's debtor has vanished, along with all of his loot.
Disappointing, but still interesting. The film feels long, as if this very long day in the film is compressed only slightly to bring the viewer along. The purpose and details of the journey are revealed over time, along with the situation of Rebecca, who is still not terribly clear to me by the end of the film. There's some superimposed footage at times, of things each woman was remembering. The technique was effective, and seemed to fit the rest of the mood of the film. And all the performances were understated but intense (these are three powerhouse actors), and the nuanced look at life in this tumultuous part of the world was interesting. But in the end, I'm not sure it's a satisfying way of telling a story.
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