Streaming since last month, "Oslo" cannot be more relevant, even if sadly so. The 1993 Oslo Peace Accords was the first successful peacemaking effort between Israel and the PLO, instrumental to mutual recognition of the legitimacy of each other in representing their respective people. Not too familiar with the details, I am not in the position to assess the movie's historical accuracy.
Usually, going into too much detail in reviewing a movie treads dangerously close to spoiler territory. As well, it often diminishes the readers' pleasure in enjoying the movie subsequently. I am going to make a case of exception for Oslo, for two reasons. The first one is obvious: the movie is based on true events and therefore has no suspense to be spoiled. The other thing is that the dialogue is so good (not necessarily artistic or literary, just good) that reading it beforehand and then hearing it delivered in the movie may just possibly enhance the enjoyment.
The movie wastes no time in plunging right into the heart of the story, with loving Norwegian couple Mona Juul (Ruth Wilson) and Terje Rød-Larsen (Andrew Scott), driven by their passion for peace, approaching separately the two sides to set up a secret meeting that will be beyond US influence in the official talks. While Larsen tries to sell to the Israel academics his "negotiation model" for a parallel process "to build trust" Mona works on convincing the PLO finance head to attend this secret meeting. "You are on our side" he tries to confirm. "And theirs", Mona responds levelly.
As a preliminary, the two representatives, one from each side, meet secretly in London under the "facilitating" of the couple. With what can they start the conversation other than the weather, "cold and wet"? Despite tension and inevitable hostility, they agree to take that historic step with a meeting in Oslo. After they have left, Mona says to her husband "If the plan goes wrong, our live will be ruined". Undaunted and bubbling with optimism, Larsen replies "We will improvise".
A breathtaking aerial shot along a highway fringing a fjord takes us to the plush classy Booregaard Manor in Norway. This first meeting hosts, from the University of Haifa, two professors Yair Hirschfeld (Doval'e Glickman) and Ron Pundak (Rotem Keinan), and from the PLO Ahmed Qurei (Salim Dau) Minister of Finance and his associate Hassan Asfour (Waleed Zuaiter). Asfour starts out hostile but tensions ease a little, especially over meals (and disaster is avoided when Larsen nips the idea of roast pork in the bud). They even start telling jokes. Temper soon flares again but there seems to be no problem that delicious food cannot solve. The "national treasure" (as designated to the lady cook by one of the delegates) brings in another round of treats and everybody is smiling again.
Upon the conclusion of this first meeting, the two sides have agreed on a few things: "in here we are friends", there are "red lines they do not cross", and they will each carry the "declaration of principles" (DOP) back to their leaders. Underscoring the historic significance of the meeting, Qurie's parting world to Hirschfeld are "You are my first Jew". And here, we are only at the 40-minute point of this 2-hour movie.
While the 2nd and 3rd meetings are equally rich and mesmerizing, I'll be brief here. Upon the PLO's insistence, the Israel side "upgrades" the delegation with the addition of Uri Savir (Jeff Wilbusch), Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, who turns out to be the most charismatic character in this movie. Both Savir and Qurei undertake that they are the "representative and voice" of their supreme leaders. Both the fiery as well as the jovial exchanges we have witnessed in the first meeting continue, and intensify. At the end, these two men recognize in the other something in themselves. For one thing, their daughters have the same maiden name! Walking side by side in the bitterly cold Norwegian forest, they even start to exchange levity "it is a tragedy that we are approached by Norwegians and not Californians". Following gingerly at a distance (as they have been told by the two men they should not come too close), the couple is intrigued by the laughter. As Larsen tries to inch forward, Mona shoots a withering glance across to him "One step closer, I'll divorce you".
Meeting no, 3 is further upgraded with Joel Singer (Igal Naor), legal advisor to the Israeli government. He brings along 200 specific questions that must be answered by the PLO before an agreement can be reached. The very first question is about the responsibility of garbage collection (and disposal) of a certain city that both sides may end up having a hand on. It is not as trivial as it first sounds, as garbage collection is clearly the responsibility of any government, anywhere in the world. While we the audience are not burdened with all the details, we get a feeling that both side fight teeth and nail for every inch. The talk threatens to break down at times and it is Mona, who is supposed to be only "facilitating", that is the court of last appeal to bring both sides back to the table, because she is the only person they truly trust. They finally understand, as reflected in Singer's lasts words before they take the final proposals back home for endorsement: we four will forge peace or there will be no peace.
In the end, thanks to something called "constructive ambiguity", an agreement is finally reached.
Acting is uniformly excellent but if there is to be just one award, it should be shared between Dau and Wilbusch, if only just for their (a walk in the freezing) Norwegian Woods scene.
Usually, going into too much detail in reviewing a movie treads dangerously close to spoiler territory. As well, it often diminishes the readers' pleasure in enjoying the movie subsequently. I am going to make a case of exception for Oslo, for two reasons. The first one is obvious: the movie is based on true events and therefore has no suspense to be spoiled. The other thing is that the dialogue is so good (not necessarily artistic or literary, just good) that reading it beforehand and then hearing it delivered in the movie may just possibly enhance the enjoyment.
The movie wastes no time in plunging right into the heart of the story, with loving Norwegian couple Mona Juul (Ruth Wilson) and Terje Rød-Larsen (Andrew Scott), driven by their passion for peace, approaching separately the two sides to set up a secret meeting that will be beyond US influence in the official talks. While Larsen tries to sell to the Israel academics his "negotiation model" for a parallel process "to build trust" Mona works on convincing the PLO finance head to attend this secret meeting. "You are on our side" he tries to confirm. "And theirs", Mona responds levelly.
As a preliminary, the two representatives, one from each side, meet secretly in London under the "facilitating" of the couple. With what can they start the conversation other than the weather, "cold and wet"? Despite tension and inevitable hostility, they agree to take that historic step with a meeting in Oslo. After they have left, Mona says to her husband "If the plan goes wrong, our live will be ruined". Undaunted and bubbling with optimism, Larsen replies "We will improvise".
A breathtaking aerial shot along a highway fringing a fjord takes us to the plush classy Booregaard Manor in Norway. This first meeting hosts, from the University of Haifa, two professors Yair Hirschfeld (Doval'e Glickman) and Ron Pundak (Rotem Keinan), and from the PLO Ahmed Qurei (Salim Dau) Minister of Finance and his associate Hassan Asfour (Waleed Zuaiter). Asfour starts out hostile but tensions ease a little, especially over meals (and disaster is avoided when Larsen nips the idea of roast pork in the bud). They even start telling jokes. Temper soon flares again but there seems to be no problem that delicious food cannot solve. The "national treasure" (as designated to the lady cook by one of the delegates) brings in another round of treats and everybody is smiling again.
Upon the conclusion of this first meeting, the two sides have agreed on a few things: "in here we are friends", there are "red lines they do not cross", and they will each carry the "declaration of principles" (DOP) back to their leaders. Underscoring the historic significance of the meeting, Qurie's parting world to Hirschfeld are "You are my first Jew". And here, we are only at the 40-minute point of this 2-hour movie.
While the 2nd and 3rd meetings are equally rich and mesmerizing, I'll be brief here. Upon the PLO's insistence, the Israel side "upgrades" the delegation with the addition of Uri Savir (Jeff Wilbusch), Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, who turns out to be the most charismatic character in this movie. Both Savir and Qurei undertake that they are the "representative and voice" of their supreme leaders. Both the fiery as well as the jovial exchanges we have witnessed in the first meeting continue, and intensify. At the end, these two men recognize in the other something in themselves. For one thing, their daughters have the same maiden name! Walking side by side in the bitterly cold Norwegian forest, they even start to exchange levity "it is a tragedy that we are approached by Norwegians and not Californians". Following gingerly at a distance (as they have been told by the two men they should not come too close), the couple is intrigued by the laughter. As Larsen tries to inch forward, Mona shoots a withering glance across to him "One step closer, I'll divorce you".
Meeting no, 3 is further upgraded with Joel Singer (Igal Naor), legal advisor to the Israeli government. He brings along 200 specific questions that must be answered by the PLO before an agreement can be reached. The very first question is about the responsibility of garbage collection (and disposal) of a certain city that both sides may end up having a hand on. It is not as trivial as it first sounds, as garbage collection is clearly the responsibility of any government, anywhere in the world. While we the audience are not burdened with all the details, we get a feeling that both side fight teeth and nail for every inch. The talk threatens to break down at times and it is Mona, who is supposed to be only "facilitating", that is the court of last appeal to bring both sides back to the table, because she is the only person they truly trust. They finally understand, as reflected in Singer's lasts words before they take the final proposals back home for endorsement: we four will forge peace or there will be no peace.
In the end, thanks to something called "constructive ambiguity", an agreement is finally reached.
Acting is uniformly excellent but if there is to be just one award, it should be shared between Dau and Wilbusch, if only just for their (a walk in the freezing) Norwegian Woods scene.