Promises (2001)

A lot of fun.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

This movie delivers well of how political tension between Israel and Palestine manipulates the mind and innocence of children. All they desire is a normal child life with peace and justice but yet the reality they face is separation, resentment, and despair. Watching this movie brought me sadness first then anger deep inside because this is happening right now at this present time and so many of us are not taking part to help those young souls to be free from hatred toward one another and growing to have deeper resentment. Maybe I as a US citizen might be supporting the separation and tension in that land by paying tax. How ironical. This movie is a must-see for anyone who has interests in the middle east situation.

Well, I saw this movie, recently and was pleasantly surprised at the integrity of the presentation. This movie did a wonderful job presenting the struggle/conflict from the perspective of the children being interviewed. Having spent time working with Palestinian children in Ramallah (10 miles north of Jerusalem), I found myself recalling many, very similar, conversations with other children. What this movie reminded me of was the sincerity of these children as they spoke their impressions, as though they were fact.While I could not possibly keep track of all the incorrect statements being made by both sides (Israeli and Palestinian) within this movie... if the viewer is able to appreciate that the children are often simply repeating a mantra they have been trained in by the adults in their lives, the viewer can utilize this movie to learn more about the culture of this conflict.While interviewing the settler boy, we saw the hardness of his heart toward the Palestinians. We can supposed that he has learned this from his parents or other in his life. The movie does show a teaching session that the Palestinian children go through at a school of some kind. I was not surprised to see the strong political views being taught to the children. These kinds of tactics, which I viewed as well, while I was there, always seemed to be the best kind of introduction to a presentation for the PLO or Hamas recruitment. And I am sure that many of the Jewish kids receive a similar style of education. It is a sad story watching these kids being bred to mistrust one another.What I liked even more was the "DVD Extra" where 5 of the 7 kids were interviewed in the summer of 2004. I was surprised to hear the Palestinian girl say she was upset at the "twins" joining the IDF. Apparently, they never teach the kids there that the IDF soldiers service is mandatory. This was just another example of poor understanding of the other side, from both sides.I don't consider this movie completely unbiased... but it does do a good job, trying to present both sides of this conflict and the affect it has on the lives of the kids growing old through it. If you have an opportunity to watch it, don't pass it up.

Far behind the headlines are the people engaged in the conflict between Israel and Palestine. What's more, there are people behind the teens and adults killing themselves and each other in this conflict. There are the children growing up very fast in the midst of all this insanity. The film gives you a glint of hope that this conflict could some day end by planting the seeds of cooperation in the next generation, but then makes you wonder when revisiting the same children, slightly older, and more personally affected by tragedies on both sides. Overly aged, bitter, and sounding very much rhetorically programmed, these kids are being swept up in forces much larger than them, and one wonders if we can't count on the children to end this vicious cycle, how will the conflict ever end?

A tell it like it is story that horrifies us and warms our hearts simultaneously. I was tremendously touched by the stories of the young people but I was also struck by how they were at such a young age hopelessly locked into a reality.