the band's visit

the band being an egyptian police band
the visit being a journey into israel for a ceremony
but things go wrong at the airport and they are on their own
then a mix-up in the spelling of their destination sees them quite lost
it's a very spartan landscape in historically hostile territory
so i'm feeling a little uncomfortable about what may follow
but it doesn't take long before those feelings are dispelled
for this is a human story - no politics, no religion, no hatred
the town the band ends up in takes them in as their own
there's a striking resemblance to middle america
and some scenes jim jarmusch could put his name to
but also a feeling that the location is quite irrelevant
as the connections between strangers are developed
the band has 8 members and are hosted in 2 homes
band leader tawfiq seems very stoic but has a sad story
which he reveals to dina his host who is equally lonely
trumpeter and violinist haled is a huge chet baker fan
on the lookout for a kindred spirit in this unlikely place
he also has great life-coach skills that are put to use
assisting an under-confident local hook up with his admirer
the scene providing multiple laugh-out-loud moments
and a maybe unintentional nod to a classic monty python line
during the film i kept wondering if we would see the band in action
a feeling that the director was deliberately holding out on that
though the importance of music highlighted in discussion
so there is hope that we would see the band take up instruments
in the penultimate scene they bid farewell to their hosts
with an aching moment we want to see an embrace
they finally get to their intended destination
the final scene seeing the band performing
our melancholy leader conducting and singing
the music being nothing that was expected
this police band uses cellos, ouds and violins
meaning their sound is both sombre and rich
and hence in line with the whole film
beautiful, emotional, organic, real
i already want to see it again