EYNAYIM SHELI/ CHAINED

Israel, 2019, 112 minutes, Colour.
Ezra Naim, Stav Almagor.
Directed by Yaron Shani.

While watching this film, the audience will have a strong impression that it is a deeply felt film. That the writer-director is not only concerned about his characters but also the social situations in which they find themselves.

The setting is Tel Aviv. The central character is a veteran policeman, getting older, putting on weight, getting exasperated.

At home, his wife, who has a teenage daughter causing all kinds of emotional problems for herself in the family, is undergoing processes to become pregnant. But this leads in a direction that the audience was not anticipating, and not happy directions.

At work, the policeman is on night shifts, has to do some substitute work, is asked to investigate a group of adolescents in a park as to whether they are doing drugs and doing drug deals. In the process of interrogation, following the book, there is something of a strip search which leads to the father of one of the boys, prominent in government, to complain to Internal Affairs, leading to interrogations of the policeman, his having to stand down for some time, rather tough treatment from the investigators.

The director has used non-professional actors to portray these characters – who are immediately and strongly believable. This is all the more important as we watch the policeman, love his wife yet becoming alienated because of her manner of dealing with the daughter’s problems, trying to deal with the daughter herself, the policeman moving out of the house to give his wife free rein but this all turning against him.

While all this has been dramatically challenging, there is a finale, even more shocking and challenging.
1. An Israeli story? Tel Aviv?

2. The focus on the police, their work, in action, crime in the city, set ups for interrogations, internal inquiries, pressures? The becoming too much for the individual police officer?

3. The director and his work, employing amateurs in the roles? The effectiveness of the performances?

4. Tel Aviv, the city, homes, the variety of cases, in the streets, in the parks? Police officers? The musical score?

5. Rashi, policeman for many years, burley presence, his age, his marriage to Avigail, love for her, trying for pregnancy, the miscarriage, her grief, the moods? Going to the hospital for further tests, the pregnancy, news of the abortion and its effect on each of them?

6. Avigail, her daughter, age 13, difficult, resentments, defying Rashi? The role of the mother? The father and his stern attitudes? Her going to the photocall, his forbidding the clothing after seeing the photos, the make up, his decision to stay, calling it off, taking her home?

7. Rashi and his friends in the police force, the boss? Internal Affairs in the investigation?

8. Going to the park, the boys, the possibilities for drugs, going to the office, the search, the stripping, their resentment? The boy with the political father? Rashi and the letter of the law?

9. Internal Affairs, the manner, the presumption about innocence? Rashi and his angry reaction, the discussions, his answers? House arrest? Suspension from action? His reaction, lowering morale?

10. The problems with the daughter, her defiance, shouting and clash?

11. The decision for him to be away, going to the hotel, the phone calls, his strict injunctions, his return?

12. Avigail, wanting time with the daughter, to deal with her? Who is right? Who is wrong?

13. The information about his wife, the abortion, the decision to leave, not answering the phone calls?

14. His arrival, confrontation, their discussions?

15. The pressure on Rashi, getting his gun, shooting his wife, shooting himself?