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A Stranger Among Us
Availability:
In Stock
Price:
$9.99
$4.90*
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| Part No: | B00008979P |
| Manufacturer: | Walt Disney Video |
| MFG Part: | DISD29247D |
| Customer Rating: | 3.5 / 5.0 |
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In this attempt to revisit the success of witness in which a cop goes amish we here have a cop go undercover among the hasidic jews of new york city Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 06/03/2003 Starring: Melanie Griffith Mia Sara Run time: 110 minutes Rating: R Director: Sidney Lumet
| A Different World | 2009-01-04 | 4 / 5 |
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"A Stranger Among Us"
A Different World
Amos Lassen
I came across "A Stranger Among Us" when a friend from my temple gave it to me thinking it was the kind of movie I would enjoy. He was so right. I am glad I did not read any reviews first so my head was clear as I sat down to have a really enjoyable experience.
This is a very low-key movie which centers around Hassidic Jews and the way that they live and it gave a really interesting look at a way of life that is foreign to most of us.. Sure, it has its fair share of kitsch but I managed to overlook it to watch an interesting, if not believable story.
Melanie Griffith goes undercover in the Hassidic community of Brooklyn to solve a murder. Maybe she was not perfectly suited for the role but she was ok--no great shakes, just ok. She plays a cop who has a great deal of cynicism about the world in which she lives. Perhaps that is why it is interesting to see her enter the world of ultra-Orthodox Jews. She is gradually accepted into that world and gains respect for its customs and traditions. I found this to be especially moving. We watch her take part in meals, etc. and we begin to understand the cloistered world she enters where there are rules for everything. (Even though I was raised as an Orthodox Jew, there was a lot I learned here and I felt as if I smiled during the entire film).
Of course there is sexual tension---the movie was made in 1992 and it was necessary in order to draw people to the theater. Here the tension is between Emily (Griffith), the cop and Talmudic student, Ariel (Eric Thal). The romantic element was enhanced by the idea of a person finding his "beshert" (soul mate).
The movie is not just a mystery but has a subplot--moving toward a life that is real. While Emily enjoyed being a cop and having a good partner, something was missing from her life which was shallow and lonely. The Hassidic community offered her what was missing even though she was not allowed to have it. As she immerses herself into the Jewish community, her eyes are opened. The scene of the celebration of the Sabbath was particularly moving and beautifully done. It made me a bit homesick as I remembered the Sabbath celebrations I had been part of. The rabbi of the community treated her as a daughter--he understood what it meant for her to have to deal with evil on a daily basis. Ariel, the man to whom she is attracted represented integrity to her and this allowed her to find joy as a part of the community she had entered.
A word about the actors--this was a vehicle for Griffith but there are two other stars here. The first is the Hassidic community which is beautifully and honestly portrayed (something we do not get to see usually because of their many laws). The other star and I would go so far as to say, the real star is Eric Thal, who played the
adopted son of the rebbe. He stole the film as the man of compassion and understanding and gentility. He is quiet and humble and sensitive and courageous--a real rebbe to be and he will gloriously fill his father's shoes.
A great movie this is not but I enjoyed every moment. And yes, Griffith solves the crime and learns a little something about love and life.
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are there subtitles or not-I do not mean closed caps.
any info would help I could not hear most of the diologue on tv
PRINCE RAFAEL |
| I really like this movie | 2008-10-07 | 5 / 5 |
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| I really enjoyed this movie. I saw part of it previously on TV. Before purchasing, read reviews at , positive, middle and negative. The movie is not perfect and has weakness, but its strengths vastly outweighed weaknesses for me. I thought that many of the actors including Ms. Griffith did an outstanding job. Highly recommended. |
| A Film I watch over and over. | 2008-08-05 | 5 / 5 |
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| A Great movie. I watch this over and over! A good intro to Chassidic Brooklyn. |
| Stranger Among Us | 2008-04-05 | 4 / 5 |
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I received the movie in a timely matter, pretty fast actually. I really enjoy this movie.
Thank you so much for the immediate response and delivery. I would order again.
Sincerely,
Mona Ghaffari |
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