This movie follows the story about two Palestinian civilians who work together at a car mechanic. One is named Said and the other is named Khaled. After Khaled gets fired from his job, he and Said decide to perform a suicide bombing in Tel-Aviv. After their first attempt fails, they reconsider in the way to their second attempt. Khaled is talked out of it by a girl named Suha, who was the daughter of a martyr. As they are about it board the bus on the way to a site, Khaled attempts to talk Said out if it as well. Said manages to get the taxi to come back, but once Khaled gets in, he closes the door and tells him to drive off, leaving Said to do the bombing alone. This movie really opened my eyes to what else is going on in the aya knew there was some sort of struggle going on in that area but I never knew exactly what it was. This movie obviously made me see that and got me to do more research on the Israeli-Palestinian history. In general, for me, it's really cool to see how the world is all over. Also, considering that in this conflict, the US is siding with the Israelis, but this movie took it to the viewpoint of the Palestinians and did a pretty good job of showing how they feel and their reasons behind what's going on.

For the most part, this film was interesting to watch. I love the fast paced rhythm of the film. All the action in the film kept me on the edge of my seat, and I could not wait to see what happened next. Although the fighting and battle is not something I particularly like in movies and stories, the plot and symbolism of the film made this essence of the film okay for me to watch. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in war films or the West Bank or the Middle East. I would particularly recommend this to any history classes, for it shares so much information and insight into the lives of the people of the West Bank. I find these types of films very interesting, as well as very important ones to watch to understand a different culture.

This was a title I kept hearing that featured in the book of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, it didn't sound like anything to do with I read about in the plot, but I suppose that is the point, anyway, I was always going to watch it. Basically in Nablus, Palestine, Said (Kais Nashif) and Khaled (Ali Suliman) have been friends since childhood, and the story follows what could be their last days together, as they have been selected to become suicide attackers in Tel Aviv. They have been recruited by an unidentified resistance, and in their time left together they say goodbye to their unknowing families, acting as normal as possible, and filming themselves glorifying Allah and their cause, and to look like Israelis they shave their beards and hair and wear suits, their cover story is that they are going to a wedding. The handlers are the only ones with keys that will remove the explosives attached to each men, the instructions are for them to detonate their bombs at a military checkpoint in Israel, they will leave a gap of fifteen minutes so that police will be killed arriving at the scene. They cross the border, but are soon chased by guards, Khaled reaches the handlers and his device removed, while Said is still on the run, he meanwhile has reached a settlement, he considers exploding the bomb on a bus, but he changes his mind seeing a child on it. He is picked up by a woman he has fallen in love with, Suha (Lubna Azabal), he tells how his father was executed for his actions working with the Israelis, his father weakness being taken advantage of is what he blames them for, he is still wearing the explosive device belt when his friend finds him, visiting his father's grave. They explain that they are not ready to make an attack, Said is still ready to make an attack, but Suha discovers the plan and influences Khaled not to be part of it, he tries to convince his friend not to go ahead with the suicide attack, but he pretends to be influenced, and the final moments are a long shot with them on a bus together with Israeli solders, before cutting to white. Also starring Amer Hlehel as Jamal and Hiam Abbass as Said's Mother. The performances of the two young leads are obviously important, they are convincing as the close friends who are turned into potential suicidal murderers, but obviously their morals come into play, the story of people made to kill people in a cause they hardly comprehend is very interesting, a controversial subject and many tense moments keep you guessing what happens next, I admit bits were slow, but overall it is a watchable political drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, and it won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Good!

This contains spoilers.PARADISE NOW has some weak points in the plot.The large cut gateway in the fence, and the fence area, were quickly left abandoned and unrepaired by the Israeli guards, so the lead character could keep passing through it as he wished. This is not realistic.The girl was an outsider. English born, French raised daughter of escaped refugees. She would not have much standing to influence. This was not realistic.Peeking at his mother, but not checking in, was an artificial story convention. This was not realistic.When his best friend learned from the former boss that the lead character had returned and was hob-nobbing with the girl, he naturally would have reported to the freedom leaders the status update -- that he was not captured and that he made it back on his own safely. This was not realistic.A better movie about human bombs is THE TERRORIST (1995). Much more thought provoking.A better movie about the Palestinian occupation is a large collection of documentary shorts made and edited by Palestinain teenagers called VOICES BEYOND WALLS being shown in 2010 on university campuses and on direct media.