Michael Winterbottom is a prolific filmmaker whose work covers a wide range of genres, including action thrillers, political dramas, period pieces, and even broad comedies. The last movie of his I saw was The Trip to Greece, a droll, improvised travel documentary featuring Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan. It couldn’t be more different from Shoshana, a gripping thriller inspired by real events set in 1930s Palestine.

Post WWI, Britain was given the mandate by the League of Nations to manage Palestine. A large influx of Jewish immigrants seeking refuge from anti-Semitism arrived, marking a pivotal period for the Zionist movement, which aimed to create a Jewish national homeland. The British struggled to keep things under control with all the rising violence, and the film dives into how this chaotic political scene affects people and their relationships.

The love story focuses on Ukrainian-Jew Shoshana Borochov (Irina Starshenbaum), a socialist Zionist journalist, and Thomas Wilkin (Douglas Booth), a British member of the Palestine Police Force. It’s not exactly a Romeo and Juliet romance; there’s no disapproving families or anything of the sort, but the stakes are higher, and they soon find themselves having to pick a side.

Unlike the characters in the tale, Winterbottom tries hard to remain neutral, realizing there are two sides to every story. One pivotal event is shown in a purposely ambiguous way, and some of the brutal shootouts are sometimes done matter-of-factly. Curiously, Winterbottom doesn’t seem to be as invested in the romance. Starshenbaum and Booth lack that intense chemistry that I believe is essential for any love story. Honestly, I find myself more drawn to the historical thriller aspect than the ho-hum romance.

It’s important to note the difference between the two main groups depicted in the film. The Haganah and the Irgun were both Zionist paramilitary organizations operating in British Mandatory Palestine, committed to establishing a Jewish state. However, there’s quite a contrast in their approach and tactics. Shoshana belongs to the Haganah, which focused on defensive actions such as sabotage or facilitating illegal Immigration. The Irgun, led by Avraham Stern (Aury Alby), is far more aggressive and violent in their attacks against both the Arabs and the Brits, labeled as a terrorist organization by the UN. Harry Melling portrays an interesting character as Officer Geoffrey Morton, who collaborates with Wilkin to find and capture Stern, through any means necessary.

Co-written by Winterbottom along with Laurence Coriat and Paul Viragh, it delves into the origins of the State of Israel through a love story intertwined with political strife. Winterbottom uses archival footage to give historical context, including wartime propaganda films that are cleverly woven into the story to highlight the intricate political scene. Most of the violence isn’t too extreme, but he doesn’t shy away from showing wartime brutality, such as a gory scene of a bomb-maker who accidentally blew himself up and an extended waterboarding scene.

If there is one thing that both Arabs and Jews agree on, it’s that they want the British to leave the region, but that’s about it. The film feels incredibly relevant given the rising tensions in Gaza, but then again, conflict in that region is never-ending. It’s disheartening to see how things haven’t much improved since then.

This neutral approach, however noble, does create a feeling of detachment. The film’s flaw is in its character development. None of the characters are fleshed out enough to leave a real impact, and by the end, you don’t really connect with any of them, even when one of them ends up meeting a violent end. Starshenbaum has a beguiling quality, but Shoshana feels underwritten, which is a shame given that she is an important figure in the establishment of the State of Israel.

The period details and overall look of the film feel quite authentic, though Puglia, Italy, doubled as 1930s Tel Aviv. It’s a good-looking film thanks to DP Giles Nuttgens, with beautiful costumes by Anthony Unwin. The lovely score by David Holmes features a mix of classical pieces and period-appropriate songs such as The Man I Love by Ella Fitzgerald.

In the end, I’m glad I saw Shoshana, but despite being handsomely crafted, I wish it had made more of an impact overall.

SHOSHANA is now playing in select theaters and expands wide on August 1

What are your thoughts on Shoshana and Michael Winterbottom’s cinematic work?