Director Julian Schnabel, a New York Jew whose mother shuttled refugees from concentration camps into the United States, might seem an odd choice to film the autobiographical novel of Rula Jebreal, a Palestinian journalist. Ironically, however, his vocation allowed him to see what he called the small, human stories that made up the landscape of history. When Schnabel read Jebreal's book, Miral, he was struck by the similarities of character between his mother and Hind Husseini, the woman who finds dozens of orphans in the street (in the wake of a bombing) and, without flinching, takes them all home with her, opening the orphanage where the eponymous heroine would be raised.

In Schnabel's film adaptation, the bulk of the plot follows Miral as she grows up, trying to balance the caution of Hind and her father, who have learned that not making waves is the key to survival in a totalitarian state, and her revolutionary friends who dream of establishing a Palestinian state. Whether Miral herself or the film comes down on one side or the other of the debate on how to effect change is open to question, though the film's thesis appears to come when her boyfriend argues with her that they must agree to accept twenty-two percent of the land to form their own state. "Two states, one state, I don't care," he says, "I want to live my life." Schnabel told audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival that in his view "civil society" in the region is "held hostage" by "fanatics on both sides."

Freida Pinto as Miral

Freida Pinto as Miral

This sort of "pox on both your houses" approach may alienate those who want the film to illustrate the validity of their own, less compromising, positions, but Schnabel made it clear that his goal in making the film was to try to adopt Miral's point of view—to walk in another's shoes as a means of creating empathy. One important aspect of adopting that perspective is the narrative's bitterness toward outside forces that some of the protagonists feel are using the region to fight their own ideological battles while not suffering the consequences in the same way the Palestinians do. Miral's boyfriend, Hani, opines that the Israelis are, paradoxically, the only true allies the Palestinians have in a quest for peace since they are the only other group suffering the immediate consequences of civil strife. Schnabel has stated that he feels Israeli audiences understand more about the history and nature of the conflict than do American Jews, and he boldly asserted that Palestinians who viewed the film at the Venice International Film Festival told him he had done "more for the Palestinian people than any of the Arab regimes."

Vanessa Redgrave as Bertha, Hiam Abbass as Hind, and Willem Dafoe as Eddie

Vanessa Redgrave as Bertha, Hiam Abbass as Hind, and Willem Dafoe as Eddie

To the extent that Miral reflects Schnabel's belief that "there is no good violence," it will certainly find its ideological defenders. But is it a good movie? Is it successful at making you care about the girl first and foremost as a human being, a developed character, regardless or her nationality? Early reviews out of the festival circuit have been mixed, but my answer is yes. The source material covers a lot of ground, so it is understandable that the film lacks some of the focus of Schnabel's more lauded films (Before Night Falls, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly).

Miral with Jamal (Alexander Siddig)

Miral with Jamal (Alexander Siddig)

I am sympathetic; too, to the charge that the decision to film on location (Schnabel's friendship with Jebreal helped gain him access to many of the film's historical sites) mutes the image making power that serves Schnabel so well in some of his best work. Yet even despite the limitations in his palette, Schnabel is able to create some indelible images. The brief scene where Hind is confronted with the orphans in the street continues to linger in my mind, and it is all the more powerful for its eschewal of music to underscore the emotional state of the characters. The confrontations between Miral and her father as his attempts to try to create an illusion of safety only drive her further away transcend the context and have a particular pathos.

Miral is an ambitious film, and it may be that Schnabel's reputation has led to unrealistic expectations about what any film can (or should attempt to) accomplish. While it falls short of greatness, it has many admirable qualities.

Talk About It

Discussion starters
  1. Hani eventually says to Miral: "Two states, one state, I don't care. I want to live my life. I want a future for our children." Is this an act of resignation or of hope?
  2. Does the film's focus on war's effect on children serve as an indictment against all sides of the conflict? Why or why not?
  3. What parallels does the film draw between political and domestic subjugation? How might the film have been different if it had focused on, say, Hani or Jamal rather than Miral and Hind?
  4. Is it every possible to separate moral judgment from political contexts? Do the historical contexts ever mitigate personal responsibility for choices made?

The Family Corner

For parents to consider

Miral is rated R, primarily for violence, including a sexual assault. One sexual assault is shown, and at times we see children or youngsters as victims. The use of torture as an interrogation device is a part of the film's narrative, though it is primarily implied through showing its aftereffects. The style of the film is more gritty than sensational, but its subject matter entails the depiction of conditions that are emotionally and physically brutal. Sensitive viewers are cautioned.

Miral
Our Rating
3 Stars - Good
Average Rating
 
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Mpaa Rating
R (for violence, including a sexual assault)
Directed By
Julian Schnabel
Run Time
1 hour 52 minutes
Cast
Freida Pinto, Hiam Abbass, Willem Dafoe
Theatre Release
September 03, 2010 by The Weinstein Company
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