A few words on Youth (2013) New Directors New Films 2014

One of the better films I've seen from this year's New Directors New Films, Youth is a kick in the pants. A taut thriller/drama about the steps two sons take to correct their families financial problems, the film grabs you early on and holds on to you to the very end thanks to it's insistence not to take the typical way through the story.

The film is set in motion when after their father becomes unemployed two brothers decide that the best way to get the money the family needs is simply to kidnap the daughter of a rich family and hold her for ransom. The trouble is nothing goes quite as expected and there are forces outside of their control at work as well.

I don't want to say too much since this is just a really good little story. I like it for being a good little thriller/drama on it's own terms and I don't need to know how the film is supposed to mirror the plight of the Israeli middle class. Reading the press notes after the fact I simply wanted to scream "No No No" because they add a level of complexity that isn't needed. Yea this is New Directors and is connected to the Museum of Modern Art, but this is just a good thriller and doesn't need to be inflated with deeper meaning out of the box.

Heartily recommended because its gonna grab you and not let you go.

The film plays March 25 at Lincoln Center and MoMA on the 26th. Details and tickets can be had by following this link.