In the screenwriting bible Story<\/em>, Robert McKee wrote, \u201cTrue character is revealed in the choices a human being makes under pressure \u2014 the greater the pressure, the deeper the revelation, the truer the choice to the character’s essential nature.\u201d It\u2019s difficult to imagine a more stressful time that what we see of Meir\u2019s experience here: not only is she dealing with an attack by Egypt and Syria that threatens to annihilate Israel just decades after its hard-won founding, but she also is the nation\u2019s first female prime minister, and<\/em> she is secretly seeking treatment for lymphoma. If all this was in a purely fictional script, a screenwriting teacher might warn his student that it\u2019s one conflict too many for a protagonist: can\u2019t she just be breaking the glass ceiling and struggling with cancer? Or could it be a male politician simultaneously fighting illness from within and an attack on his country\u2019s borders? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet the real Meir did face all of these challenges at once, and Nattiv imbues Golda<\/em> with a resulting sense of claustrophobia. Tight close-ups zero in on Mirren\u2019s impeccably made-up face, which is believably transformed into Meir\u2019s visage. We see her nicotine-stained fingers as she smokes cigarette after cigarette. Shots of hallways make it seem like the walls are closing in on Meir, as she is left with few good options to defend both Israel and the individual soldiers fighting for it. Cinematographer Jasper Wolf\u2019s camera shudders toward the action, with a halting movement that is visually interesting but occasionally distracting. Flashes of real-life footage from the war are intercut into scenes, and audio recordings from the front lines make moments in the war room feel like they\u2019re on the battlefield. The score from Dascha Dauenhauer turns every instrument into percussion, creating a tense atmosphere for the film\u2019s 100 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Golda<\/em> is almost relentlessly \u2014 and appropriately \u2014 solemn throughout its running time; its biggest joke might be about Henry Kissinger (Liev Schreiber) feeling obligated to eat a Holocaust survivor\u2019s borscht. While there\u2019s an immense gravity to the proceedings, that thematic weight is not without merit. Thousands died in the Yom Kippur War, and Meir takes literal note of them all, adding casualty numbers to a notebook she carries with her. Meir is stubborn and sure, but she\u2019s also filled with warmth and a wry sense of humor amidst the pressure. Golda<\/em> skates over mentions of her family, but her affection for those around her, especially her aide, Lou Kaddar (Camille Cottin), is obvious, as is how much she cares about the fate of each person in her country, not just Israel as a whole.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet for all of Meir\u2019s concern for her people, Golda <\/em>left me oddly cold. It depicts a harrowing tragedy that affected a nation, but it doesn\u2019t really leave a mark, even with its unconventional approach. Outside of Mirren\u2019s predictably great performance, Golda<\/em> sometimes lacks subtlety and nuance. Did we need a winking line predicting General Ariel Sharon (Ohad Knoller) would become prime minister himself in the future? This brief scene takes you out of a film that is all about establishing a sense of immediacy for the sake of Israel, its soldiers, and Meir and her health. Similarly, \u201cWho by Fire\u201d \u2014 written by Leonard Cohen and inspired by his visit to Israel during the Yom Kippur War \u2014 closes the film. The song is a little too on-the-nose, though still affecting, choice for a needle drop. Golda<\/em> also refrains from contending with how controversial Meir is for some. Other than her chain-smoking, the film presents a picture of a person wholly to be admired, leaning a bit too much toward hagiography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though Golda<\/em> only depicts a few weeks in Meir\u2019s life, it creates a detailed picture of the prime minister as a character (albeit one largely without flaws). At once tough and tender, Golda<\/em>\u2019s Meir is worthy of admiration. Meanwhile Nattiv\u2019s film isn’t quite on the same level as its subject in either its achievements or staying power in the audience\u2019s memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Golda” is in theaters Friday.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/crookedmarquee.com\/stage8\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/golda2-1024x577.jpg\")
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