NOODLE

Noodle is a poignant drama and sobering tale coupled with sprinkles of acerbic comedy. Miri (Mili Avital) is a twice-widowed and emotionally detached flight attendant whose life is turned upside down when her Chinese-migrant, cleaning lady leaves a boy (Baoqi Chen) in her care but fails to return. Miri struggles with this assigned role, making the mistakes of a “new mother.” But Noodle soon fills an emotional void and brings out the maternal instincts of a strong group of women including Miri’s sister, Gila (Anat Waxman) and friends. They subsequently grapple with bureaucracy and cultural differences in a quest to reunite the estranged pair. While aspects of the plot can seem more convenient than believable at times, ultimately it is these dysfunctional yet human characters and sterling performances that make this a natural and affectionate tome.