On E List of Movie Reviews

(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)



Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986)

Rate: 6
Viewed: 3/25

WeSay
3/25: Every Time We Say Goodbye is a rare, unheard-of 80's drama film in Tom Hanks' oeuvre.

Everything was going fine until the girl's family entered the picture. Since then, I hated it. Having experience with these matters, I know the girl will be wasting David's time because, no matter what happens, she'll choose her family over him. This always happens with foreigners with heavy religious ties.

Therefore, my advice to David is: forget about her and walk away. What if she decides to go ahead with him? It's going to be a never-ending series of fights with the family. They'll never ever listen to reason. If the girl runs away, she'll be torn apart by wanting to see her family again while one of the brothers will come after her with the intention of killing her to protect "family honor." Of course, she needed to marry her cousin because David had impregnated her. Watch out if that doesn't go through.

Meanwhile, most of the film was shot on location in Israel which is nice. Tom Hanks and Cristina Marsillach provide a light touch against the seriousness during WWII. As a result, they are good for each other, bringing back the tradition of how the 40's romantic films were done. I wondered what happened to the Spanish actress afterwards, and the answer is...nothing. Too bad because I believe, for somebody from Europe, she showed potential to translate well on screen in Hollywood pictures.

All in all, because of the girl's family, the romantic aspect of Every Time We Say Goodbye is ruined while making Israel and Sephardic Jews look really, really bad because of the possibility of honor killing.