In Shemi Zarhin's previous movie, "The World is Funny," the characters are more instantly likable. "The Kind Words" begins (after a short prologue) by concentrating on a childless woman whose plight is unfortunate but who doesn't do or say anything in particular to win our sympathy. She's not valiant, she's not particularly considerate, she talks to God and perhaps that's supposed to seem winningly whimsical but her monologue comes off like forced exposition. She is estranged from her husband, she is estranged from her father, and by the time we've met the two brothers who will accompany her on her adventure, we're beginning to ask the question, which can be fatal to any movie, why we should care what happens to these people. Our sense of involvement isn't not helped by the uninnovative views of Jerusalem scenery or by the musical score. The question the siblings themselves are asking in the meantime is exactly what skeleton occupies their mother's closet, and the ever-magnetic Levana Finkelstein helps add interest to the movie by entering to dodge their questions. Around the same time, the movie displays the capability of taking a lighter tone. In fact, it eventually becomes fun to watch, which is a surprise because movies that combine drama and comedy usually go the other way-- luring us in with comedy and then, once we're on board, springing drama on us. As the story develops and we learn more about the family relationships, we see love and abandonment from various angles that throw light on one another. Each of the brothers has his own fatherhood portrayed, and we're thrown a strong hint that there may be some relevance to the metaphor of God the Father as well. It's a relatively lengthy movie, and by the time the kaleidoscope has stopped turning, showing us the movie's theme from shifting comic and serious angles, the audience has certainly got its money's worth.
