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Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Actually that is not true, but it does have a premise that is easy to relate to and if you have the quality writing engage the viewer to be interested in the story. And this has the quality to pull it off. It's not an easy movie to watch, though that doesn't mean, we don't get lighter scenes too.Of course the conflict is there and the characters have to deal with a history, that is so complex that one movie alone could not do justice to it all. You have to really engage this open minded and not blinded by one side and see one side as bad or worse than the other. This is a human story after all and it plays out like that. You really feel for the main characters and their struggle, something the movie is really adamant on showing the viewer ...

Wow. Not only is the script a seamless combination of Sayed Kashua's two novels (Second Person Singular and Dancing Arabs), but it's seamless in its own right. Eyad is such a sensitive character, as is Edna; both elicit our sympathy without our pity -- especially when Eyad "goes entrepreneurial" at school, capitalizing on his ability to straddle two worlds.I also liked the acerbic wink at coexistence efforts. Riklis nailed it.Great acting and camera work, excellent subtitling. The use of the word "previous" to illustrate Eyad's grappling with his Arab accent was spot on. I'm also gratified by the English title; "Borrowed Identity" expresses the plot line so much better than does "Dancing Arabs". Regarding the latter, I take issue with other reviewers who read symbolism into the title; in my view, it refers quite literally to Eyad's family dancing on the roof during the Scud attacks, a known occurrence. The fact that he declines to join them says it all.The relationship between Eyad and Yonatan was also done beautifully, showing how when dealing with severe disability, identities like "Jew" and "Arab" are dwarfed by more immediate, human concerns. The film did an excellent job of showing this. Highly recommended.

Making a film in Israel with Palestinians is problematic. After all, the film could be seen as either too pro-Jewish or too pro- Palestinian by some and as a result, lose a major portion of the potential audience. However, "A Borrowed Identity" manages to create a story that both sides of the ideological perspective could appreciate and enjoy.The story is about a Palestinian boy, Eyad. You see him grow to his teen years through the first portion of the film and he's so bright that he's offered admission to the best school in Israel--and he'll be the only Palestinian in an otherwise all Jewish program. The film follows the young man through high school from his early awkward time to acceptance by his peers until he ultimately does something a Palestinian isn't supposed to do--fall in love with a Jewish girl. At first, things look great for Eyad and his girlfriend, Naomi. However, she is hesitant to tell her parents about her boyfriend and he's also hesitant to tell his family as well. When he loses her over this, he decides on another path...and it involves pretending to be Jewish so that his life will be easier.There is a lot to like about this film as is touches on some divisive topics. It's not just the Palestinian/Jewish conflict but there's also a subplot involving quality of life issues for a friend of Eyad. Yonathan has Multiple Sclerosis and through the course of the movie, he becomes less and less functional until he's just a shell of who he once was. All of this makes for a fascinating film that I enjoyed and which was mostly well crafted. I say mostly because Eyad was played so incredibly detached and non-emotive through so much of the film--a bit too much for me, as this tended to make him seem less real. But the good far outweighs the bad with this one and it's a film that is totally unique and captivating.

The Israeli film "Dancing Arabs" was shown in the U.S. as "A Borrowed Identity." It was directed by Eran Riklis. The movie stars Tawfeek Barhom as Eyad, a Palestinian boy who is an Israeli citizen. Although his plight isn't as bad as a non-Israeli Palestinian, he is nonetheless a second-class citizen. (Palestinian citizens work in restaurants as dishwashers. Jewish citizens work as waiters.)Despite being Palestinian, Eyad is allowed to attend a prestigious Israeli boarding school. Naturally, he's the target of racial slurs, but he isn't physically injured, and he moves forward toward adulthood. As part of a class assignment, he meets Jonathan (Michael Moshonov), a young man who has progressive muscular dystrophy. He also meets an Israeli girl, Naomi, played by Daniel (Danielle) Kitsis. Naomi is intelligent and loving, but the question is whether their relationship has a future, because of their cultural and religious differences.The plot moves in unexpected directions, and the movie is emotionally powerful and gripping. The acting is excellent, and I think the plot represents a balanced picture of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, as it plays out among individuals.We saw this movie at the Little Theatre in Rochester, as part of the highly successful Rochester International Jewish Film Festival. The film will work well on the small screen.