The Time That Remains

Really rather good film, part black comedy, part family fable, part political history. The project of Elia Suleiman.
Suleiman has a great visual style. The blocky shots, the dance like routines of people walking backwards and forwards. The sometimes blank faces, sometimes very graceful shots. It is a physical comedy in many ways. The uses of repition are both very funny on occasion and also thematically very strong. It gives the feelings not only of the listlessness of that particular time(s) and place(s), but also of a wider comment on the 'human condition', the uses of repeating things that have been done before and the same or slightly different reactions.
Suleiman also draws great perfomances out of his actors, Fuad in particular, with kudos also to the lady playing the mother at the end. The political situation is strongly seen through these characters. This does not mean we don't get a full picture, as clearly the incidents are intended as tropes and a wider comment on the history of events. But always personal, which works strongly in this case.
As well as the beautiful movements, often framed head on, the look of the film is often terrific. The walls and the interiors of the city are well evoked, as is much of the sharp and colorful clothing (again credit to the actor's usages). The final scenes, the fireworks with the lady in the foreground, is among the finest shots we have seen on the screen this year. The juxtaposition of the reticent, but expressive lady, with the history of her, of who is viewing her,, and the at once violent but vivd fireworks, is tremondous. Credit to Suleiman for letting it breathe.
This film isn't entirely perfect, it does not seem to know when or how to end. It rather loses its mojo when Fuad dies, the father who has been the main character and whose grace carries so much.
All the same, an excellent film. We will be keen to see more of Suleiman's work, as his distinctive style is soemthing we shall not tire of.