6/10
Plot is Muddled; it Could Have Been Better
18 January 2022
It's supposed to be the story of a father's search for his daughter who was adopted when he was taken prisoner in the siege of 2002 during the 2nd Intifada.

Tarek Khodor (Khaled Abol Naga) starts to do this until he travels to Nablus in the West Bank to look for his daughter. This quest is sidelined when he takes on the job of water engineer. While this development somehow enriches the plotline, it nonetheless veers away from the story's chief thrust without being able to resolve the main plot convincingly. The viewer is unsure whether Tarek recognizes Malak as his long lost daughter as events take precedence in his mind. For example, the climactic scene refers to something else while the final scene says as much. The message is muddled as a result. Thus, the question ultimately is who's the thief here? Perhaps, the film's title should be changed to be consistent with its main theme.

Having said these, the actors perform their roles credibly. Special mention goes to Malek Ermileh for a convincing performance as young Malak. A bonus to the viewer are glimpses/great shots of the ancient town of Nablus with its roots in biblical times.
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