L ifestyle /C ulture
‘Sublet’ Charms But Doesn’t Dazzle
FI L M
SASHA ROGELBERG | JE STAFF
IF DIRECTOR EYTAN FOX
wanted his film “Sublet” to
be an easy summer watch, he
succeeded; if he wanted the
film to deliver a story with
depth, originality and indis-
putable chemistry between its
characters, he fell short.

Co-written by Fox and Itay
Segal, “Sublet” premiered at
the Philadelphia Jewish Film
Festival in November 2020 and
is now in wider release. The film
follows the fictional New York
Times travel writer Michael
Green (John Benjamin Hickey)
during his five-day jaunt in Tel
Aviv, as he stays in scruffy film
student Tomer’s (Niv Nissim)
one-bedroom apartment.

Tomer’s messy and juvenile
apartment is in staunch
contrast to Michael: a graying
50-something in glasses, a
button-up and blazer, his
necessities packed effectively
into two small bags.

As soon as Michael gingerly
places his five blue button-up
shirts into Tomer’s closet,
half-filled with balled-up
T-shirts, he cements himself as
not only a fish out of water, but
as the outsider — a middle-aged
journalist in a neighborhood
of artists, an American among
Israelis, a romantic monoga-
mist among free-spirited youth.

Tomer, critical of Michael’s
stale approach to seeing the
city, quickly invites himself
to become Michael’s tour
guide, and they ditch the art
museums in favor of the beach,
local hole-in-the-wall cuisine
and a risqué, underattended
dance performance.

As Michael fills his days
with sightseeing to write about
in his column “The Intrepid
Traveler,” it becomes clear
that he is all but intrepid: He’s
reluctant to go out and enjoy
Tomer’s hedonistic lifestyle,
opting instead to try to nurse
his ailing relationship with his
husband over FaceTime.

Throughout the film,
Michael’s emotional baggage
and Tomer’s carefree nature
are never directly at odds with
one another, but we see them
meet and contend with each
other in Michael’s head.

Michael struggles to figure
out what he wants in his life,
his marriage and his family,
especially after witnessing the
triumphs and tribulations of
his foil — an eccentric gay
man of a younger generation,
untouched by profound strife.

It’s this internal battle
within Michael — seen only
through his shifting eyes,
tightly pursed lips and visible
discomfort — that is the film’s
greatest strength. The messages
are salient, but never hit you
over the head.

With its balanced and
symmetrical shots, “Sublet” is
beautiful to watch. As Michael
walks through the Tel Aviv
Museum of Art, the corners of
the frame perfectly align with
the corners of the prints on the
wall. When Tomer takes Michael
to the beach and the market,
pops of color delight the eyes.

Nissim’s charm brings Tomer
to life, his wit a natural comple-
ment to Michael, bewildered
and apprehensive, scene after
scene. Though a seasoned actor
(Hickey) working alongside
a film newbie (Nissim) played
well to Michael and Tomer’s
dynamic, the film’s writing
undermines the actors’ chops.

Though the film attempts to
depict Tomer as the immature,
naive-at-times, boyish post-ad-
olescent, Tomer sometimes
feels like he’s too good to be
true: noble and generous,
conscientious, curious (and, of
course, handsome).

As Michael and Tomer’s
relationship develops, it feels as
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JUNE 24, 2021
Tomer (Niv Nissim) and Michael (John Benjamin Hickey) on the beach in
Tel Aviv
Photo by Daniel Miller
though the film trades Tomer’s
depth for likability. As a result,
the unspoken complexities of
their relationship are never fully
understood by the audience.

Opposite to Nissim, Hickey
embodied discomfort so fully
in Michael, that at times, it
was challenging to differen-
tiate when Michael was truly
uncomfortable and when he
was simply uncomfortable to
look at on the screen.

In some scenes, particu-
larly at the beginning of the
film, Michael speaks mechan-
ically, giving mini monologues
here and there that serve to
expedite the plot, at the
expense of natural dialogue
between Michael and Tomer,
and Michael and his husband.

Given that the film clocks in
at under 90 minutes, some plot
expediting can be forgiven.

Still, despite its solid pacing
and clear character development,
“Sublet” fails to pack a punch.

The meeting and mingling
of two different worlds is not
new in cinema. Although
Nissim’s fresh acting in his
film debut and Tel Aviv’s
charming locale help give the
film vibrancy, they were not
enough to set this film apart
from others in this genre.

At one point, Tomer sits
Michael down to watch one
of his “artistic horror” films,
a couple of strewn-together
scenes of naked actors, reptilian
masks and haunting silhouettes.

Tomer, though he didn’t craft
something award-winning,
clearly understands what makes
a quality film: good lighting,
angles, strong characterization
and eliciting a response from an
audience. When the film ends, Michael
sits in silence for a while before
saying, straight-faced, “It’s
good.” After finishing “Sublet,”
it’s easy to feel a little bit like
Michael in that moment: Seeing
a film that, albeit competent and
satisfying to the eye, was a little
watery; but, if you managed your
expectations, it was good. l
srogelberg@jewishexponent.com |
215-832-0741 JEWISH EXPONENT
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



L ifestyle /C ulture
Gladwyne Teen Wins JEWQ Championship
LOCAL ANDY GOTLIEB | JE MANAGING EDITOR
YOSEF VESSAL
JUST finished seventh grade at Welsh
Valley Middle School in Lower
Merion and has big goals in
life, but recently exceeded his
own expectations.

The 13-year-old student
at Chabad of the Main Line
in Merion Station won the
JEWQ International Torah
Competition’s seventh-grade
division on June 6. More than
2,500 contestants worldwide
spread over third- through-sev-
enth-grade divisions competed
in the event.

“I thought I would score
high, but I didn’t think I’d
win,” Yosef said.

JEWQ, which debuted in
2018, is organized by Chabad’s
international office as a way
for Jewish children to
Three tests are adminis-
gain an appreciation for
tered at local Chabads and
their heritage, said Rabbi
the top three scorers at
Mendy Cohen, the co-
each school compete in the
director of Chabad’s
international competition,
Family Community at
said Cohen.

Chabad of the Main Line.

This year’s champi-
“Hebrew school has its
onships were held in
limitations ... but for the
Bushnell, a community in
student looking for a little
the Pocono Mountains,
more, this is ideal,” Cohen
although most of the
said. participants
competed Cohen knows from
over Zoom.

experience how competi-
When the dust cleared,
tion can spark an interest
Yosef was on top and the
owner of an impressive
in Judaism: His father grew
trophy. up in a nonreligious house-
“It’s very cool for him
hold in England and won a
and very cool for us,”
Jewish trivia contest. The
Cohen said, noting that
prize was a stay at a Jewish
Yosef was the school’s top
summer camp.

“That started
his From left: Josh, Yosef and Mikhyela Vessal scorer in previous years.

Courtesy of Michele Vessal “He worked hard on it.

journey to be connected to
He’s a bright kid, but he
Judaism,” he said.

For JEWQ, participants the topics of Jewish prayer, had to study, too.”
Yosef said his main trick for
spend four months studying holidays, heroes and traditions.

learning material is to make up
songs in his head.

He wasn’t the only member
of his family doing well at
JEWQ: His 11-year-old sister
Mikhyela, who just completed
fifth grade, competed in the
championship round and took
home a silver medal, and his
younger brother Josh plans to
compete next year when he’s in
third grade.

Unless JEWQ is expanded
into eighth grade next year,
Yosef’s competitive career in
Jewish knowledge is over for
now, although he’ll be volun-
teering as a Hebrew school
tutor. And there’s already that
big career goal he has in mind:
“I want to own a company
called Tornado and build a
resort,” he said. l
agotlieb@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0797
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JUNE 24, 2021
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