Directed by Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri (“The Attack”), “The Insult” is a thorny
morality play about life in the Middle East, as a minor altercation between two
men ends up in a court case that ignites long-simmering tensions and anger
which eventually threatens to tear their country apart.
Tony (Adel Karam) is a hot-headed but hard-working auto mechanic, and
a devotee of his country’s right-wing Christian politics. One day, he’s hosing
down the terrace of the Beirut apartment he shares with his pregnant wife, Shirine (Rita Hayek). Due to an improperly installed
drainpipe, the water ends up splashing down onto construction foreman Yasser (Kamel El Basha), a Palestinian
refugee. An annoyed Yasser orders his men to fix the gutters without Tony’s
permission, but Tony smashes the new drain to pieces, incensed by what he
perceives as a slight against him. He demands an apology, but Yasser refuses to
give it.
Neither man
backs down, allowing their pride to escalate a petty dispute into a tense and
eventually violent confrontation. The resulting trial opens up old wounds
throughout the country’s population, leading to even more terrible
repercussions. As we learn of the suffering and injustice each man has endured
throughout their lives, it’s clear that their lingering anger has fueled their
every move, conspiring to keep them engaged in seemingly never-ending conflict.
In delving
into Lebanon’s complicated history, JoรซlleTouma’s script sometimes strains to make its points. But as
it puts forth an ultimately optimistic view of humanity, “The Insult” gathers
potency to become an affecting plea for empathy and understanding.
This article appears in Mar 7-13, 2018.
