Magic Men

Very pleasant, occasionally unconventional visuals introduce us to the movie, and we're carried along by touches of humor and enjoyable music. It's a friendly movie despite the back story of persecution and Holocaust. The only big problem is that the plot seems to end before the movie does, with additional incidents tacked on until the length is achieved and a final twist shows us that a bit of the unexpected (but alas, only a bit) has been held off for last. There are holes in the plot, but a viewer could do worse than sit back and watch the photography, watch the acting, and enjoy the occasional gag. For reasons of political correctness, the portrayal of a Jewish man by an Arab actor in the lead role could never be greeted with anything but praise from the critics, but I'd agree that probably the part could not have been played better than Mr. Khoury played it... unless someone had written it better. It's your standard crotchety geezer who's scrappy on the outside, secretly sentimental and wounded on the inside, and admirable for his eccentric determination. No King Lear, but a lot easier on the nerves.