Search - Life According to Agfa on DVD

A Comic-Drama

Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 01/28/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Life According to Agfa" ("Hachaim Al-pi Agfa")

A Comic-Drama

Amos Lassen

In a fictitious local pub named "Barbie" in Tel Aviv, Israel gathers a group of characters. All is overseen by the pub's owner, Daliah (Gila Almagor) and a plot unfolds with a streak of violence that takes a surprising turn. This is an Israeli comedy with a satiric edge. It is filmed in black and white and the story is about the intertwining lives of those who come to "Barbie" (a reference to a mental institution in Israel). "Barbie" is a microcosm that is full of friction, conflict, tension, romance, betrayal and lust. The film is directed by Assaf Dayan who gives us this group of people and their sometimes bizarre situations. The language is coarse; there is drug use and lots of graphic violence. The language that is used is so idiomatic that it cannot be adequately translated so non-Hebrew speakers will miss some of the best lines. However, that should not stop you from enjoying the film.
The story is full of passion and pain. We meet and get to know the bar patrons and this is due to the director allowing us to know the cast.
The film was originally released in 1992 but we now have it on DVD so all can see it. I found the film to be aggressive and we find the bar becomes somewhat oppressive as the movie progresses. The climax is violent, shocking and disturbing but this is a film that you will not soon forget.
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