As the current news cycle whirls by, we often forget the major events that made the news even just a few months ago. Over the years, wars and human atrocities seem to blend together, and that is with the information we’ve been given. When the news cycle wasn’t quite as fast, or up to the minute we may have heard of a major war, an invasion well after it happened. And despite the impact these wars and invasions have on everyday people, we often do not learn about them in our general education.
So while a movie based on the Yom Kippur War in 1973 may not be on a lot of people’s viewing list, it does bring to the screen a tense and important moment in history. However, how this moment is presented, is almost as dizzying as what it probably felt like to be in the “war rooms” at the time.
Based on the 19 days of the Yom Kippur War, the movie follows Prime Minster Golda Meir (Helen Mirren) as she is informed of the potential attack and the fallout afterward. From the loss of life, each decision she makes has a real impact on everyone around her – you can feel the weight of the moment. While each decision Golda makes has on her people, it often seems that she displays a total lack of understanding until it’s presented to her later. Sure numbers on a page are one thing, but when it’s leaving your employees and friends without their loved ones – it becomes more real.
Mirren portrays the slightly out-of-touch politician well. While it seems the movie has been made to humanize Golda or even revere her as a hero to her people – it’s hard not to see the disconnect that is still held between politicians and their decisions on the people who have to follow through with their orders. Add in, no doubt, artistic licensing and weird artistic shots for impact on moments that aren’t pivotal – you end up with a disjointed movie that is going to further limit its audience.
Golda is now playing at limited theaters.
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About Golda:
Golda is a ticking-clock thriller set during the tense 19 days of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir (Helen Mirren), faced with the potential of Israel’s complete destruction, must navigate overwhelming odds, a skeptical cabinet, and a complex relationship with US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber), with millions of lives in the balance. Her tough leadership and compassion would ultimately decide the fate of her nation and leave her with a controversial legacy around the world.
