Smile Politely. Speak Directly. Champaign-Urbana's Alternative Daily

One wrong bus ride and there you have it – an awkward culture clash that will surely lead to a widening of the gap between the Egyptians and Israelis. That the Alexandria Police Ceremonial Band has traveled to Israel to play at the opening of a new cultural center seems of little importance once they’ve been cast as fish out of water in the small town of Bet Hatikvah. Their main concern is getting out of the village and back home with as little fuss as possible. As for the citizens of this tiny burg – they could care less what nationality their new visitors are, they’re just happy to have something new in their mundane lives.

Director Eran Kolirin's The Band’s Visit uses a rather simplistic premise to important use. Throwing members from two different cultures together, she shows that while on the surface these people may hold different political, social and religious beliefs, they share many of the same fears, doubts and feelings, none of which can be trumped by outside ideologies. Moving at a crisp pace (the film is less than 90 minutes), the director gently shows us that even the widest of social gulfs can be bridged with understanding and sympathy and that national prejudices might be better solved with simple one-on-one meetings with the members of the groups involved.

Of course, the band certainly did not think they’d wind up spending time in the homes of the Jewish citizens they’d come to play for, let alone those living in a rural community, yet they make the best of it. Their leader, Tewfiq (Sasson Gabai), is intent on having them represent their country with pride, yet he realizes that under the circumstances anything can happen. Thankfully, the owner of a café in the area , Dina (Ronit Elkabetz), comes to their rescue and is able to find lodging with the citizens of the village for all of the band members.

From there the film cuts between three stories, each of them containing subtle poignant touches and some gentle laughs that revolve around common human foibles. The funniest involves a villager who invites a group of the band members to his home though he knows his wife will be less than thrilled by the guests. How the tension in the household is finally broken is a major surprise. Meanwhile, Haled (Seleh Bakri), the ladies man of the band, gives romantic advice to a young villager who’s tongue-tied around the object of his affection, while romantic tension of another sort pops up between Tewfiq and Dina, a situation that simultaneously surprises and frustrates them.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the film is the tone that Kolirin and the cast are able to maintain throughout. The movie is very delicate in the way it deals with the emotional conflicts that develop. The drama could have easily segued to pathos while the laughs could have been too broad. Yet, the filmmakers know that to do so would undercut the humanity that lies at the core of the story and its theme. In presenting the band and the villagers they come to know as simple people who leave their preconceptions behind and accept each other for who they are, Kolirin is able to deliver the film’s message of acceptance in a powerful way that is bolstered by its subtle approach. This Band doesn’t play too loudly; rather it seduces us with its gentle notes.

Opens tonight at Boardman's Art Theater
Runtime: 1h 29min — Rated PG-13 — Comedy/Drama