It’s surprising—particularly given its premise—that there is comedy amidst the darkness; the arrival of Gidi’s father interrupting his torturous plans, the bumbling efforts of the police force, etc., are all played for laughs. While this may make for uncomfortable viewing—it can be hard to reconcile this light-hearted tone with the cruelty unfolding on screen—it effectively speaks to the duality of everyday Israeli life; that need to keep smiling even when faced with the most brutal of circumstances.
With Big Bad Wolves, Keshales and Papushado have made the film they want to; not the film that they were perhaps expected. And the result is a beautifully crafted, morally ambiguous fairy tale for the modern age, from two refreshing new voices in Israeli cinema.
