Broken Wings

Broken Wings is an Israeli family drama that’s heavy on both—family and drama. This highly accessible film from director Nir Bergman is about a single mother and her four children whose father was killed in a freak accident nine months earlier. When the film begins, the family is still deep in mourning. The mother sleepwalks through her day, the oldest son has quit high school, the youngest son likes to videotape himself jumping from high places, the youngest daughter is physically and emotionally needy, and the oldest daughter (the audience’s point of empathy) tries to keep the family together.

Broken Wings is the kind of art-house film your mother would enjoy. There’s much (too much) tragedy here, the ending is pat, and the ugly beast of sentimentality raises its head too often. But the acting is magnificent, and the screenplay perfectly captures both the difficulties and joys of a one-parent household. This is a film that will resonate with a large audience, all laughing and crying on cue.