Real Estate

For the commercial release in Israel, this movie's title was lengthened to "Real Estate: A Love Story." That ought to improve its positioning a little. The story is about a couple who need to get their act together if they're going to raise a baby-- who's already on her way. They also need to rent an apartment somewhere and, as the Jerusalem Post reviewer remarked, the places you see and the people you meet as you search for an apartment are a scriptwriter's dream and it's surprising that apartment-hunting movies aren't something like ten percent of the movies released. The succession of apartments and renters keeps the movie lively on a minute-to-minute basis while the character development takes its time. All the apartments are in Haifa, a city with a hilly geography that the audience, jumping from one street to another, unfortunately can't really feel that it's visited. But the audience can certainly feel that it's visited the troubled, sometimes comical lives of the determined apartment-hunters and had its sympathies given a workout.

A timeless film that presents, in a moving and compelling way, the couple's journey as they search for their identity, shared future, and transition into parenthood. The performances are both subtle and emotionally stirring. Highly recommended. Victoria (Thelma) is, in my view, an actress with a bright future.