The film looks terrific--with a raw edginess to the direction that makes it thoroughly authentic, almost like we're watching real events, not dramatic recreations. And the Arab-Israeli themes are dealt with sensitively and honestly. But the script continually reminds us that this is fiction. In addition to some truly dire dialog, we get voice-overs from almost every character--internal monologs that tell us what everyone is thinking. These prevent us from ever developing a sense of perspective or connection, and they also undermine the interesting performances and the story's offbeat structure. Every time we start to feel sympathy for someone we're pushed away by clumsy theatrics, so by the end we're bored and completely apathetic. This is a real shame, because there's an important film buried under the debris.