THE ELECTRIFIERS – A Review by Cynthia Flores
In film festivals, some movies screen later at night, after 10 pm usually, when everyone has had a few drinks and just want to see something silly and fun or crazy scary. The Electrifiers, about an aging Israeli rock band, is in the fun category.
The film revolves around Mickey (Zvika Nathan), who is the lead singer for “The Electrifiers.” When we meet him, he’s living in his old gig van that holds all the gear for the group. It’s been parked under the apartment of his ex-wife Dalia (Odelia Mora-Matalon), for the last two years. She lowers his clean clothes down to him in a basket, and his grown daughter Chen (Ella Armory) checks on him with her boyfriend Yotam (Elisha Banai). This is not where Mickey thought he would end up. He’s a man with big dreams that never lets reality wake him up.
The band won the 1984 Best New Artist Award for a smash hit called “Besides Love” and followed by a colossal hit kids song called “Felix the Cat” they recorded when they were drunk. They thought they would conquer the world in two years. Instead, thirty years have passed. The rest of the band consisting of Roni Katz (Sharon Alexander) on keys, Nissim (Yigal Adika) on bass, and Avi (Uri Hochman) on the drums, all grew up. They all have real jobs, and “The Electrifiers” is their side hustle. Mickey is the only one hanging on to the dream of being a rocker and doing music full time. He tries to keep the band together as they drag themselves between gigs at nursing homes and cheap B&Bs. Their overweight and always eating agent Victor ( Eli Yatzpan) tells Mickey they need a gimmick. Just like David “Dudu” (Tal Freidman), their old lead singer, and now nemesis, has had to do to get more bookings. Victor sets them up with a great young singer Anna (Tamara Klingon), who’s in a wheelchair. Now that’s a gimmick. They only agree to let her sing with them to be considered for a big gig in America. He even gets Yotam to use his new camera to get a modern looking audition tape made. This opportunity could just be the break that can propel “The Electrifiers” straight to the top.
I give The Electrifiers a 3.75-star rating. It’s a fun and feel-good movie that features cameo appearances by real-life 80s Israeli pop icons. So grab a beer or favorite beverage and enjoy this funny festival offering.
This film is part of the 8th annual Israel Film Center Festival set for June 7-14, 2020. For more information: https://israelfilmcenterstream.org/festival/.
Directed by: Boaz Armoni
Written by: Zvika Nathan, Sarel Piterman, Shir Reuven
Rated NR
Selig Rating 3.75 Stars
Running Time: 1hr 30min
Comedy / Drama / Hebrew with English Subtitles
8th annual Israel Film Center Festival: June 7th @ 7pm – 14th @ 11:59pm EDT. Q&A is June 9th @ 5pm EDT
Starring: Zvika Nathan, Tal Friedman, Eli Yatzpan
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie, well worth the price.
4 Stars – Good movie
3 Stars – OK movie
2 Stars – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
1 Star – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn’t paid for it.
