Where I Watched It: iTunes
English Audio Description?: Yes
Look, I review movies. Yes, I have opinions on things that are not movies, and i realize at this time simply posting a review of a film released this year could spawn unfortunate backlash. I already had that on my YouTube video, and I’m not trying to generate that here. I don’t proclaim to be an expert on the history of Israel, and this review should not reflect that.
However, Golda has fantastic audio description. i got down to the end, and it was a name I had never heard of before, but this movie has a truly exceptional script. you could play a drinking game every time Golda takes a drag from a cigarette, or lights one, or puts one out. Smoking was such an oddly huge part of who she was, much like Churchill and his cigars, and this film tracks that so well. Truthfully, most of this is a restrained political drama about what happens behind closed doors. there are a few suggestions of action, but it is a political and historical thriller, so smoking is just about the most interesting thing to happen outside of the tense conflict Golda has her country to navigate through.
Helen Mirremn plays Golda as strong, almost emotionally detached at times. I think the thought there is that female leaders during her time were still a rarity, and being seen as overly emotional could have worked against her, especially in trying to navigate through this conflict. There are moments, where we can see the exhaustion and the weight of everything on her, as she’s not only trying to get Israel out of this without losing any ground, but she’s also going through cancer treatments.
in a supporting turn, Liev Schreiber is also strong as Henry Kissinger, who is called on by Golda many times to support. It reminded me of Churchill trying to get support from America in World War II, and seeing scenes like that play out in The Darkest Hour, or even in The Crown.
I’ve certainly sat through more riveting thrillers, and most of this is on Mirren’s shoulders, but I had to say the audio description here is top notch.
Final grade: B+
