Friday, May 5, 2017

Norman Movie Review

Richard Gere & Lior Ashkenazi (r) star in Norman

Everybody Wins

Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Persistent wheeler-dealer Norman (Richard Gere) falls in with an Israeli politician (Lior Ashkenazi) on the rise. When the politician is elected prime minister, Norman rises in esteem with the New York Jewish community, even though his social connections might only be a sham. Directed by Joseph Cedar.


Norman promises, "Good things come in surprising ways." Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer could very well be the surprise hit of 2017. It has a Woody Allen-esque feel (right down to the music) with a touch of Being There for good measure. Gere's performance is Oscar-worthy, and features two remarkable scenes... a "chance" meeting outside an upscale men's shoe store, and waiting online to meet the new Israeli PM, in addition to almost two hours of raw desperation, perseverance and sneakiness. Also terrific, Cedar's effective use of misdirection and split screens. A must-see.

Grade: A-