Who's in It: Sarah Adler, Noa Knoller, Gera Sandler, Nicole Leidman, Ma-nenita De Latorre, Ilanit Ben-Yaakov
The Basics: Lonely, isolated, apolitical Israelis drift in and out of each other's lives. Specifically, a married couple has to call off their honeymoon when the bride breaks her leg at the wedding; a mysterious and mostly mute little girl appears out of the ocean and becomes the ward of a struggling waitress; and a maid/caretaker helps an old woman reconcile with her actress daughter. Trust me — it makes more sense when you're watching it.
What's the Deal? It's not quite one of those movies where nothing happens and everyone's depressed, but it's almost there. I know people who can't stand movies like that; they need plots that are plots, ones that move and don't meander or focus too long on the glum faces of sad-sack characters. I'm not like that. I can stare at melancholy people staring back into the camera all day. I can outstare them. And if the filmmakers can pull it off then I'm happy.
Tel Aviv, but Quieter: That these characters find themselves poignantly involved with each other would be the kiss of death for a more obvious tearjerker. But this one doesn't beat you over the head with its indie quirks or force you to feel anything you don't want to deal with. And the fact that it mentions nothing about the ongoing trouble that hangs over the Middle East is almost a political stance all by itself.
What's That Title Mean: It has to do with the ocean and how it's a place of refuge and mystery and renewal and how the jellyfish is this animal that just floats around without direction and … OK, you get it.