Writer director Joseph Cedar studied philosophy and history at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and is a graduate of New York University's film school. He is rather new to the film industry but his mark is clear - making films that explore human nature and the manner in which we interact as people and as countries (in this case the Us Israel relationship). He knows how to create solid characters and has the ability to attract quality actors to make his dreams visual.Norman Oppenheimer (Richard Gere) is the President of New York based Oppenheimer Strategies, a one man business doing consulting work largely in American-Israeli business and politics, that focus due to being Jewish (Focus: Israeli minister Micha Eshel played with enormous sensitivity by Lior Ashkenazi). Most of his work is as a fixer: doing work that others don't want to do and with which they don't want to be officially associated. In reality, Norman is a shyster, and not a very good one at that. His office is comprised of his cell phone and whatever is stuffed in his satchel that is usually slung over his shoulder as he wanders the streets. What he promises is making connections, setting up a meeting between his guy and the other guy under the guise of connections with significant people. All he needs is for one of the people that he approaches to believe a story to build that network. Not so much a story, but an act of kindness with that ulterior motive does eventually pan out as the connection of which he could have only dreamed. He is able to build off that connection to become the toast of the town, a status upon which he tries to parlay into being an even bigger fish in the pond. But the greater his exposure, the greater the potential scrutiny about him as a person, which could bring his fragile network come crumbling down around him.In addition to Richard Gere's finely tuned performance other members of this memorable cast include Lior Ashkenazi, Michael Sheen, Steve Buscemi, Josh Charles, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Dan Stevens, Tali Sharon among others. There is much more to absorb form this fine film than the rise and fall of the main character - just when we need to hear all aspects of the Israeli situation.

At a stage in his career, Hollywood heartthrob Richard Gere was one of the industry's most recognisable leading men.Roles in notable films like Days of Heaven, American Gigolo, An Officer and a Gentleman then key performances in 90's hits like Pretty Woman, First Knight, Primal Fear and Runaway Bride established Gere in the big time, only for the 2000's to be a relatively uneventful period for the famous actor.While having the odd sprinkling of decent films in the last 17 or so years, Joseph Cedar's Norman provides Gere with what's arguably the now near 70 year old actor with one of the roles of his longstanding career.Far from a huge hit, Norman is however one of those carefully constructed character studies that finds Gere playing New York City fixer (aka shyster) Norman Oppenheimer, a tragically determined "business operator/middleman" that finds himself in over his head after a chance meeting with a down on his luck politician turned Israeli prime minister Micha Eshel.It's an intimate film, one in which Gere appears in almost every scene and Gere owns his character, that is in many ways a deplorable wannabe big city player but also a character that remains endearing right till the films effective finale.Surrounded by recognisable co-stars Dan Stevens, Steve Buscemi, Michael Sheen and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Norman is absolutely Gere's film.At times in amongst an unnecessarily convoluted and complicated film, Gere holds his head up high in a role that would've seemed impossible for the actor in the peak of his 80/90 heydays and as Norman's life continues to spiral out of control and a new found sense of self-worth and importance creeps into his livelihood as a fixer and connector, Gere controls his performance in a film that doesn't quite match it with its leading man.Final Say – A unique experience and one that remains consistently engaging thanks purely to Gere's awards worthy turn, Norman is a small-scale character study of a man who's lost his sense of purpose in the world, only to find it again in the most unlikely of circumstances, making Norman a must-see for fans of character driven dramas and Gere aficionados.3 awkward dinner parties out of 5

I liked the movie. I know it's fiction, but I always make an analysis as if it were true.1. The guy who was stalking Norman, towards the end of the movie, and was a con artist, like Norman.....My question is....WHAT WAS THIS GUY TRYING TO CON FROM NORMAN? 2. The dinner at Arthur Taud's house. Norman got kicked out because Micha did't show up. When all the names of the guests were shown, they showed Mica's name,having a dinner seat, but not Norman's. And Mica's name was there because of Norman's con game. Norman was kicked out of the house because Mica wasn't there. So my question is....SUPPOSE MICHA HAD COME TO THE DINNER...WOULD NORMAN HAVE STILL BEEN KICKED OUT? AND IF NOT, WHERE WAS HE GOING TO SIT?

Talk about a little-under-the-radar wonder! The trailer for Norman (or: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer as its full title tells us what will occur) seems like this will be a sort of comic take on what one might've seen in Michael Clayton - or, as it becomes more apparent as time goes on in the movie (and by time I mean a few minutes) Better Call Saul's Jimmy - that this is a 'fixer', or a guy who will do what needs/must/wants to be done by any given businessman or individual or, as the Norman Oppenheimer (Gere) of the title suggests, other consultants who consult the consultants (as he is). It turns out to have some laughs here and there, but really this is a drama and one of almost (or just) Talmudic proportions. This is a story set in New York City but also concerns Israeli politics (up to a point, sort of, just deep enough for us to know that "peace" is possible somehow due to this one guy, Micha Eschel (Lio Ashkenazi), who manages to ascend to prime minister of the country and who Norman is considered a "close friend". Or, really, almost a close friend, as Micha trusts him while his other advisers don't; they met under circumstances that Norman basically, literally, chased down, following Micha when he was an assistant to an assistant to the PM, and bought him a pair of ludicrously expensive shoes. For the moment of grimacing Norman has ends up paying off for him a mountain of connections, which is what he's all about... though it's not all on the up and up exactly.This is a story that concerns how Norman, as well as the other characters, try to act (or decidedly don't act) moral or even fair in the circumstances. For Norman, it's all about first getting this one connection with Micha, and once he gets it, it seems like it should be all gravy. But Norman is also as Jewish people say a "Macha", someone who can run a big game through talk but may not be the most trustworthy person. Like with 'Saul', it's hard for us not to feel in Norman's corner because of how much of a hustler he is, and movie characters like this have an innate sympathy: despite the shady ways (or even because of it, that they're on the edge, an underdog, at worst an anti-hero), we want Norman to be the best of the "Normans" out there. And then comes the Jewish Synagogue and Steve Buscemi's Rabbi (yes, he's a Rabbi, and it's awesome), and things take more twists and turns.Joseph Cedar's script is sharp as a tack, but I was also impressed by the visual side of the film; Norman's on a train coming back from a DC event at one point and we see lots and lots of heads floating in the window of the moving train, and it's amazing how he is able to manage this sequence that could've been out of Capra or something (maybe a cinematic forefather of this sort of morality fable). And at the heart of it is Gere as Norman, making him so vital and amusing at times, but then also so sympathetic and sad and going across all the emotions that's necessary - and then some! If you've wondered where Gere's been for a while, there's the Dinner and then there's this. The latter is among his top, top performances of all time.Add on a wonderfully ambiguous ending and a thrilling final act, and you got a sleeper, buddy.