Divine Intervention

Written, directed by and starring Elia Suleiman, Divine Intervention is a loose collection of short character studies grouped together in an effort to throw some light on the Palestinian experience under Israeli rule. Less a movie (in the traditional format, anyways) than a series of interlinked shorts, Divine Invention is, in equal measures, an affecting and infuriating piece of work. Some of the pieces make for extraordinary and powerful viewing, the nature of grief is examined quite thoughtfully, but others seem wantonly fractured and deliberately opaque, serving no palpable function other than inspiring a cheap laugh at the extreme misfortune of others. The final result is a film that crackles with ingenuity on occasion but ultimately leaves one with a feeling of dissatisfaction and confusion. Or maybe that's just me..