Eyes Wide Open (2009) NYT Critics' Pick

[lsanderson]

Ezri (Ran Danker...left) and Aaron (Zohar Strauss) in EYES WIDE OPEN,a 2010 film directedd by Haim Tabakman.
Passion and Identity Crisis in a Pious Community
By A. O. SCOTT
Published: February 5, 2010

“Eyes Wide Open,” the quiet and confident feature debut of the Israeli director Haim Tabakman, explores the conflict between sexual desire and religious obligation. Set in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem, the film, written by Merav Doster, gives nearly equal weight to both sides in that struggle. It does not sensationalize lust or treat piety with condescension, but rather treats these two basic, often antithetical human impulses with respect and compassion. Faith can console as well as constrict, and sex can bring confusion along with intimacy and pleasure.