War of the Scholars

 Footnote gives new meaning to ‘like father like son’

 by Morgan P Salvo 

Filmmaking gets a dazzling fresh take with Footnote, thanks to director Joseph Cedar’s even keel approach to a whirlwind of dynamics surrounding mind games, intellectual suffering and guilt. This flick is a mind-bending chess game between two rival scholars who just happen to be father (Shlomo Bar-Abba) and son (Lior Ashkenazi). But don’t let that fool you. These two are scholars who read about reading, write about writing and live and breathe investigation into both, their main focus being the Talmud transcripts (a central text of mainstream Judaism, recording discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history).

The gist of the plot is that dad has been passed over for the Israeli prize (considered to be the state’s highest honor) for over twenty years and finally gets the call he’s been waiting for his entire life - that he has been awarded the prize. The problem is the call was intended for his son, creating a terrible dilemma for everyone. Pride, integrity and legacy are at stake along with some very decisive and deceiving pratfalls. It’s never what you think.

The film starts with an ingenious close-up of dad listening to his son deliver an acceptance speech for another academic award with a backhanded recognition of his father’s influence. As Dad shows no emotion except for a smidgeon of blithe indifference we get the set up for the turning twists of events to come. The way the scholars handle things goes beyond the call of decency at times but thanks to the genius writing and filmmaking we have to rewind and play out in our heads what has transpired throughout the movie to discern the motives. Dad is in a perpetual state of stewing in his own juices while the son is a little more carefree and modern as they approach each other from opposite schools of resentment. Different levels of disdain, tradition and reverence are achieved and it seems the generational dysfunction will be handed down like a family heirloom.

With serious and comic overtones, Footnote at times garners a Coen bros movie perspective (especially A Serious Man) particularly with the use of the billowing Hitchcockian whodunit music.

Ashkenazi captures his side of the dilemma perfectly. His subtle acting is interrupted by bursts of manic rage while Bar-Abba does all his acting from the inside out. Seething turmoil from within, he’s a no win kind of guy in a no win situation.

Both scholars’ main objective is to make the other one suffer and then gloat, sometimes delivered by doing the right thing and saying the wrong thing and vice versa. Through the cinematic magic we’re allowed to witness that through stubbornness, pride and tradition it’s still all about the power of words. Curiously clever and insightful, this flick will have you thinking and debating days after you see it.

 

Footnote

Starring Shlomo Bar-Abba, Lior Ashkenazi, Alisa Rosen, Alma Zak, Daniel Markovich

Directed by Joseph Cedar

Rated PG-13

3 stars