Free Zone begins with a very lengthy shot of Natalie Portman gazing out a window and weeping. It is a very lengthy shot — like, very — and as Portman cries and cries (and cries and cries) we found ourselves fixating on the dodgy quality of her mascara.

In the world o’ movies, this is not a good sign.

Free Zone is a film that takes a rather long time to suggest that a world run by women might be more peaceful and more interesting. You think?

Rebecca (Portman) is crying because she has just broken up with her boyfriend, but maybe also because she is an American visitor, and everyday life in Israel involves a level of stress to which she is unaccustomed.

She is in a car driven by Hanna (Hanna Laslo), an Israeli acquaintance on the way to the Free Zone in Jordan. The Free Zone is a pocket of tax-free and customs-free space at the top of the country where people from warring countries drop their arguments long enough to shop.

Jordan is bordered by Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia like some unfortunate middle child. Anyway, that’s where Hanna and Rebecca are headed, at least, once they get through a tension-creating border crossing.

Hanna is going to Jordan to collect a large debt from a mystery man called “The American” who is her husband’s business partner. Her husband would go himself, but he is wounded and bloody back home.

(“Shell or rocket?” someone asks.)

Hanna and Rebecca arrive at their destination but the American is not to be found. Instead, they meet Leila, a Palestinian woman (Hiam Abbass) who says he isn’t coming and the money is gone.

Hanna, Rebecca and Leila set out together to find the American and the money. Time leads Hanna and Leila to an odd kind of personal truce.

Free Zone has a somewhat challenging narrative made more problematic by the difficulty involved in caring about the characters. Technically, director Amos Gitai is up to a couple of tricks — flashbacks about Rebecca’s boyfriend, for example — that are both confusing and annoying. You could say the story’s message is weakened by tepid filmmaking.

BOTTOM LINE: Free Zone, which was shown here during the film festival last fall, takes itself rather seriously. And with subtitles. Bayview Cinema only.

(This film is rated PG)
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