![](http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/newyork/file-177-.jpg")
He’s accompanied by his much
younger spouse Ilana (Marina Shoyef), who is more interested in
rekindling a romance with the handsome village doctor Yoel (Igal
Sadeh). Also having the hots for the doc is Avner’s homely yet
appealing daughter Rachel (Shiri Guedani), while Avner’s brother
Menehem (Sharon Alexander) wouldn’t mind cuddling with Ilana. Rachel’s
crippled brother Shuki (Pini Tavger) and occasionally senile grandmom
Mania (Hana Maron) round out the key characters. Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya
serves as the template for Mizrahi’s comedy of manners, the type of
ensemble movie that almost never gets pulled off stateside unless John
Sayles or David Mamet is involved. Mizrahi’s generous use of master
shots allows for plenty of actorly fun amid the principals, with some
amusing moments of passion between the smoochable Shoyef and matinee
idol Sadeh and tasty dialogue passages that the thespians can hungrily
attack (“I love professors. They know the past and they know the future
but they don’t know what I think of them.”) Mizrahi will be on hand
during this special screening. Palace, Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.
younger spouse Ilana (Marina Shoyef), who is more interested in
rekindling a romance with the handsome village doctor Yoel (Igal
Sadeh). Also having the hots for the doc is Avner’s homely yet
appealing daughter Rachel (Shiri Guedani), while Avner’s brother
Menehem (Sharon Alexander) wouldn’t mind cuddling with Ilana. Rachel’s
crippled brother Shuki (Pini Tavger) and occasionally senile grandmom
Mania (Hana Maron) round out the key characters. Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya
serves as the template for Mizrahi’s comedy of manners, the type of
ensemble movie that almost never gets pulled off stateside unless John
Sayles or David Mamet is involved. Mizrahi’s generous use of master
shots allows for plenty of actorly fun amid the principals, with some
amusing moments of passion between the smoochable Shoyef and matinee
idol Sadeh and tasty dialogue passages that the thespians can hungrily
attack (“I love professors. They know the past and they know the future
but they don’t know what I think of them.”) Mizrahi will be on hand
during this special screening. Palace, Sunday, May 4, 3 p.m.
