Foxtrot

Name: Foxtrot
Genre: Drama
Released: December 8, 2017
Duration: 108 min
Rating: 88
Cast: Aryeh Cherner, Dekel Adin, Gefen Barkai, Lior Ashkenazi, Rami Buzaglo

2017

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 34 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Ratings

See All

7.2

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 42 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Foxtrot: Extrait (US)

Now Playing: Foxtrot: Extrait (US)

Movie Details & Credits

Filmcoopi Zürich | Release Date: December 8, 2017 | Not Rated

Starring: Aryeh Cherner, Dekel Adin, Gefen Barkai, Lior Ashkenazi, Rami Buzaglo, Ran Buxenbaum, Sarah Adler, Shaul Amir, Shira Haas, Yehuda Almagor, Yonaton Shiray

Summary: Michael and Dafna experience gut-wrenching grief when army officials show up at their home to announce the death of their son Jonathan. Michael becomes increasingly frustrated by overzealous mourning relatives and well-meaning army bureaucrats. While his sedated wife rests, Michael spirals into a whirlwind of anger only to experience one ofMichael and Dafna experience gut-wrenching grief when army officials show up at their home to announce the death of their son Jonathan. Michael becomes increasingly frustrated by overzealous mourning relatives and well-meaning army bureaucrats. While his sedated wife rests, Michael spirals into a whirlwind of anger only to experience one of life's unfathomable twists – a twist that can only be rivaled by the surreal military experiences of his son. [Sony Pictures Classics]… Expand

Director: Samuel Maoz

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 108 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Ann Hornaday

Mar 14, 2018

Graced by superb performances, especially from Ashkenazi and Adler, this gentle but devastating portrait bursts with integrity and tough honesty, even in its most lighthearted moments. Read full review

100

Kenneth Turan

Dec 7, 2017

An intricate, dazzling cinematic dance, Foxtrot goes both deeper in and further out than standard-issue cinema. It's profound and moving and wild and crazy at the same time, simultaneously telling a specific story and offering an emotional snapshot of a country whose very soul seems to be at risk. Read full review

The Film Stage Zhuo-Ning Su

The genius and creative dexterity of Maoz are on full display here. Read full review

Peter Travers

Mar 1, 2018

Foxtrot makes demands on audiences and then richly rewards them. It's a riveting, deeply resonant achievement. Read full review

A.A. Dowd

Dec 9, 2017

Heavy with horror though it may be, Foxtrot turns out to be too conceptually and stylistically audacious to be called a slog; it keeps throwing curveballs, some crueler than others. Read full review

John Bleasdale

Foxtrot is a bold and imaginative portrait of the confines of family. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Feb 27, 2019

Foxtrot is a movie from Israeli writer-director Samuel Maoz that is structurally fascinating yet also structurally flawed: its accumulations of ambiguity and mystery are jettisoned by a whimsical final reveal. Read full review

SEE ALL 34 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

imdoingmypart

Jun 4, 2018

We have seen films about grief before; the basic subject matter is nothing new. In fact, the ideas of military allegiance and its affects on family left behind are starting to feel rather familiar. Many viewers, including myself, fear a film that will waste its time on worn out ideas. MakeWe have seen films about grief before; the basic subject matter is nothing new. In fact, the ideas of military allegiance and its affects on family left behind are starting to feel rather familiar. Many viewers, including myself, fear a film that will waste its time on worn out ideas. Make no mistake: Foxtrot is not a worn out film.

Foxtrot follows a family, mainly a husband and wife, in Israel who have just received news of their son's death in military conflict. Neither parent can handle the news as the mother passes out and the father emotionally implodes. Military personnel are accommodating and professional but, most importantly, cold and distant. No one can blame them since they are simply doing their jobs and do not relate to the hopelessness that their former coworker's family is now experiencing. From there the story further unravels, and we learn about the cause-and-effect nature of life's events and how simple choices can both create beauty and also destroy everything that a person has in life. Through such events, the film does not offer much judgment but rather lets the characters' lives play their course.

The marvel of Foxtrot is partially in its creative shots and unpredictable story, as well as its moments of unexpected hilarity, but, most importantly, in the unspoken dialogue between characters. Many films feel the need to fill space with dialogue, which can unfortunately clutter the soundscape and cause the audience to drift further and further away from the characters to whom they are supposed to relate. Foxtrot takes a much more simple approach and allows the viewer to see the characters for who they are without having to be told every detail. We learn more from the characters' expressions and physical emotions than we could ever learn from a scripted conversation. That is not to say that the dialogue in Foxtrot is unimportant; on the contrary, the dialogue only carries weight because it is used so delicately. The film can be both loud and quiet, often in juxtaposing scenes, and each dynamic complements the other more and more as the story engulfs the viewer.

This film is incomplete until the final scene, which made me realize that I have not seen such a sophisticated jigsaw puzzle of a film in some time. Too many films finish in the second act and simply meander on screen for a completely unnecessary finale. Foxtrot spends each minute sparingly, though this fact may not be apparent to the audience until the conclusion. All of the emotions, decisions, and questions fit together in a gloriously small yet powerful finale, but only those patient enough to let Foxtrot work its magic will earn one of the most rewarding film experiences of 2018 so far.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

JLuis_001

Sep 16, 2021

This film surprised and amazed me. At first it appears to be simple and ordinary, but it soon reveals itself as a heartbreaking conceptualization of loss and grief.

A great and forceful film by director Samuel Maoz.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CMC

Mar 21, 2018

The movie is a serious effort to make a serious film that addresses big life issues in a creative and artful manner. It largely succeeds, but I was not that engaged while watching it nor did I think about it that much afterwards. I felt no real empathy with any of the characters. The mainThe movie is a serious effort to make a serious film that addresses big life issues in a creative and artful manner. It largely succeeds, but I was not that engaged while watching it nor did I think about it that much afterwards. I felt no real empathy with any of the characters. The main message is that we are all caught up in fate, life is not necessarily fair, and we have to decide how we manage to live with that reality. A worthy message and effort, just not so rewarding to watch.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Brent_Marchant

Mar 31, 2018

An intriguing premise that, regrettably, is rather clumsily structured at times, with overly long pregnant pauses and an overabundance of vague allusions to revelations obviously yet to come, many of which easily could have been worked into the narrative earlier on to promote more compellingAn intriguing premise that, regrettably, is rather clumsily structured at times, with overly long pregnant pauses and an overabundance of vague allusions to revelations obviously yet to come, many of which easily could have been worked into the narrative earlier on to promote more compelling (and more temporally economical) storytelling. While the film tends to get better the further one gets into it, the picture also has an unfortunate tendency to backslide into its own shortcomings just when it starts to find its legs. A noble attempt at doing something meaningful and important whose choreography, unfortunately, ends up with the story often tripping over its own feet.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

bolsa22

Mar 4, 2018

BORING!!! Nothing of this movie was really ground breaking, there was one scene that it was really amazing that was played by the actor Lior Ashkenazi, hes probably the best part of the movie, but everything else makes me sleep for no reason, i didn't found this movie really funny, sad andBORING!!! Nothing of this movie was really ground breaking, there was one scene that it was really amazing that was played by the actor Lior Ashkenazi, hes probably the best part of the movie, but everything else makes me sleep for no reason, i didn't found this movie really funny, sad and suspenseful, i just called this movie a bad directed movie, it was well scripted, but bad directed, so I've said before and ill say it again, BORING!!!… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

netflic

Aug 28, 2022

Exceptionally well made piece of anti-Israeli propaganda. Which is not surprising from a director Samuel Moaz who made "Lebanon". I only wish this talent could be used for a better cause.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

swing

Mar 2, 2018

Very good acting, what there was of it. But, the slowest moving movie I've ever seen. Yes, there are some reflections on life, and death, but they take place at the pace of real life. Sorry, we wasted two hours.

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

SEE ALL 8 REVIEWS