top of page
Writer's pictureUK Film Review

Foxtrot film review


★★★★

Directed by Samuel Maoz

Starring Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler, Yonaton Shiray

Film Review by George Wolf

 

Foxtrot film review UK

 

From its opening shot - a slow, dizzying swirl above a patterned kitchen floor - Foxtrot commits to a cornerstone of disorientation. Through both narrative and camerawork, writer/director Samuel Maoz keeps you off balance as he constructs a deep, moving dive into one family's struggle with loss and regret.

Jonathan (Yonaton Shiray), a soldier in the Israeli Army, is going about his mundane duties in a remote outpost when a tragic twist of fate occurs. Jonathan's father Michael (Lior Ashkenazi delivering his usual excellence) and mother Daphna (Sarah Adler - also terrific) take the news of the accident, along with the news of a second, very unexpected development, very differently.

Maoz's visuals, sometimes anachronistic, bold and darkly funny, are never less than fascinating. His writing is incisive and brilliantly layered, confidently moving toward a shattering finale without stopping to worry about whether you're connecting every loose end.

Just when you may think you know where Maoz is going, you don't. But the rug isn't pulled by cheap gimmickry or emotional manipulation, but rather perfectly arranged pieces assembled by deeply affecting performances.

Like its namesake, a dance that will always lead you to "end up in the same place," Foxtrot can be viewed from different angles with equal impact. You might see a sociopolitical statement on the filmmaker's home country, a universal parable on the costs of war, or a starkly intimate take on family bonds.

Let it in, and this film will reveal layers of meaning and a lasting grip. Through Foxtrot, Maoz and his stellar performers are speaking with a stylish and bittersweet elegance.

Listen.

 

Comments


The UK Film Review Podcast - artwork

Listen to our
Film Podcast

Film Podcast Reviews

Get your
Film Reviewed

Video Film Reviews

Watch our
Film Reviews

bottom of page