My Rating: 3.56/4 (aka Worth seeing)

One line summary: The incredible Golda Meir navigates Israel through the Yom Kippur War.

The Deets: This is a tricky one… Helen Mirren is phenomenal as Golda, one of Israel’s founders and its Prime Minister from 1969-74, and yet the movie overall wasn’t as good as I hoped it would be. For a biopic, I think it focuses too much on the Yom Kippur War – this is certainly the most prominent event of her tenure as PM, but it kind of makes this a war film rather than one about the woman and her life (which is what I was hoping / expecting). Specifically, I would have loved some flashback scenes from Golda’s earlier life, which is referenced a few times but never shown. Because the action is centered on the war, we are left to assume and interpret what shaped and drove her. For a woman as complex as she undoubtedly was, the film doesn’t quite hold up; but because of her remarkable fortitude as a human and her place in shaping history, this is a story worth experiencing.

Perfect for: Anyone who’s interested in Israeli or Middle Eastern history, and if you love to watch Helen Morten act.

Where to watch: It’s still playing in some theaters, or you can rent it for a hefty $19.99 (wait a bit and I’m sure the price will drop).

Food pairing: You don’t really want to eat anything with this movie, and you definitely don’t want to start smoking.