“The Debt” — A good choice!

Last week we watched a rental DVD that nearly passed under our radar, but I’m glad it didn’t.

“The Debt” is excellent!

I don’t want to give away the entire plot, but here are some broad brush strokes. The plot involves an Israeli Mossad snatch squad that is sent to East Berlin to capture a former concentration camp doctor. The three members of the team returned to Israel to a hero’s welcome. The movie flashes back and forth between the time of the kidnap in 1965 and 1995 when it appears something is not quite right. Two separate sets of actors play the three protagonists 30 years apart.

The story is interesting and engaging. The acting is also excellent. Helen Mirren is the biggest name-actor. She plays Rachel, the female member of the snatch squad in 1995. Jessica Chastain (The Help) plays her younger version.

The movie is definitely for adults, not because of sex and violence, but because of the sophisticated plot. It reminded me of a Fredrick Forsyth or John Le Carre novel set to a movie.

Sophisticated plot with a few surprises, and well acted. I’m really glad I watched it and give it a strong recommendation.

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Just not that big a deal!

I am really glad (thankful?) we are not traveling anywhere this weekend. Driving isn’t too bad, but flying? What kind of masochist wants to brave the air travel system on any holiday weekend? But this weekend, with the informal security “opt-out” boycott?

I’m not saying that the TSA can’t improve their methodology, but I really can’t get too worked up about either the full body scan or a pat-down. Given the choice between a little invasion of privacy and being blown out of the sky, I’ll take the invasion every time.

I chuckle over the comparison between a pat-down and a sexual assault “…if it were done by anyone else.” Actually there are lots of instances where that a person may have contact with another that, under different circumstances, might be inappropriate. Doctors, nurses and other medical care providers come to mind immediately. Dancers, cheerleaders, music instructors, athletes and athletic coaches often have close contact with others, frequently of the opposite gender, without it being “sexual assault.”

Since the TSA pat-downs are performed by members of the same sex, I suspect the screener is no-more happy about messing with someone’s “junk” than the subject.

I think the Israelis have the right idea – they profile. They train their security agents to interview passengers and target those who look like high risk. If you are really interested in security, does it really make sense to treat an 80 year old grandmother traveling with her family the same as a single, Saudi male, in his 20s?

It’s not politically correct, but I guess the Israelis don’t really care. And it works.