Unanswered Questions

Rating: 6/10 (31 December 2017)

A very Aryan-appearing male shows up at this B&B for visiting scholars with a Star of David around his neck. Virtually the first question the Jew asks his host is, Where is the bank? Banking has nothing to do with the central theme of this movie (an attraction between two males, one older, one quite young). Why are the characters Jewish? The only subsequent reference to Jewishness occurs many months later, when we see a menorah (incorrectly rendered) during Hanukkah and someone grabbing a gold-covered chocolate coin. End of Jewish references. None of the reviews I read comment on these occurrences in the movie that I found really quite peculiar, the banking question especially. That said, no one will agree with me, but the director/writer has no concept of "scene." Scenes should be mini-stories, mini-dramas, if you will, that cohere and have a punch, but the ones in the movie are mostly pastiches and rarely end in a satisfying manner. The film is pretty, I'll give it that, but I'm astounded that it's gotten overwhelmingly wonderful reviews.