THE INSULT (Ziad Doueiri). 112 minutes. Subtitled. Opens Friday (January 26). See listing. Rating: NNNN
After an argument about a balcony drainpipe escalates to harsh language, a Beirut mechanic (Adel Karam) demands an apology from a Palestinian construction foreman (Kamel El Basha) – which the foreman refuses to provide. And somehow, this leads to a national crisis.
The latest allegorical drama from Lebanese auteur Ziad Doueiri (West Beirut, The Attack), The Insult draws on the history of the Mideast and long-standing tensions between Palestinians and Lebanese Christians.
But even without that subtext, the film – nominated for a foreign language Oscar – would still play. At its core this is a story about simple, stubborn pride, and what happens when anger obscures understanding. And Karam and El Basha make every new stage of their battle entirely convincing: we understand why they double and triple down, even when simply acknowledging the other’s injuries might pave a path toward genuine reconciliation.
It’s easier to stay mad. People have been doing it for centuries, after all.
