Movie Review: Solomon and Gaenor

Story: There was no chance of Joe Liebermania taking hold in the 1911 Welsh mining town depicted in this film. Though it is only now being released, it was one of the Best Foreign Film nominees in last year's Academy Awards (thanks to the Welsh and Yiddish subtitles used in this mostly English speaking film). First time feature film director, documentarian, writer and practicing psychotherapist, Paul Morrison brings us an atmospheric, beautiful, romantic tragedy that I found totally absorbing. With the opening anti-Semitic dialogue I knew that I would be uncomfortably waiting for the obvious horror to occur. Yet this very textural, visually dynamic, well acted film swept over me until the inevitable end. Basically, a young orthodox Jewish man, whose family sells cloth, meets, is immediately smitten, and begets a young church going, Welsh woman. He hides his Jewish background, many problems ensue, none of them surprising, yet because of the quality of the acting and the film I remained enrapt. The movie making was superb.

Acting: Ioan Gruffudd (Hornblower, Wilde) is a star waiting to happen. He is passionate, intelligent and I was floored by his Yiddish. Nia Roberts was brilliant as the young Welsh girl, Gaenor. (Her Welsh sounded good too, but I don't understand Welsh so I was not as impressed as I was by the Yiddish). The rest of the cast was strong and I found no wink links in this powerful movie.

Pets: Some sweet pigs whose fate was predetermined. Oink!

Visual Art: Too poor to have any.

Soundtrack: Appropriate without too many violins.

Theater Audience: I arrived right in time for the previews. It was a small theater and the 12 other people were all in the last three rows (spread out). At first I thought the front of the theater might have been roped off. I marched straight down the aisle and sat in row six and felt like I had a private show. Very weird.

Quirky Meter: 3

Tissue Usage: 1

Oscar Worthy: Apparently

Nit Picking Quotient: Even thought I really liked this movie there was one scene where the boom could be seen directly over Gaenor's head. Very annoying.

Length: 100 minutes

LOBO HOWLS: 7