'Omar': Murder and deception in the Oscar-nominated Palestinian film

City Paper grade: A-

The Palestinian Oscar nominee for best foreign language film has the title character (Adam Bakri) climbing over the Israeli separation wall to visit his romantic interest Nadia (Leem Lubany), her brother Tarek (Iyad Hoorani) and his other childhood friend Amjad (Samer Bisharat). Without much thought, the three men conspire to kill an Israeli soldier, and Amjad is the one to do the shooting. When Omar is captured and tortured by the Israelis, they give him an ultimatum: Find Tarek, whom they suspect of the killing, and turn him in; otherwise, prepare to endure a hellish life in jail. Omar agrees to be an informant, although he has no intention of keeping his promise. As the dramatic elements come to a head, director Hany Abu-Assad ratchets up the tension. There are thrilling chase scenes, betrayals, double crosses and several twists that will have viewers recalibrating their sympathies for the characters. Abu-Assad’s minimalist style effectively pulls viewers into this absorbing story, and the strikingly handsome Bakri gives an exceptional performance in a complex role. When Bakri has a tense confrontation with Nadia, his expressions speak volumes, and his crafty maneuvers to exact justice are smart and satisfying, just like this film.