Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Excellent adaptation.

A different way of telling a story

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Perhaps it's my American perspective, but I didn't like anything about this film. In order to characterize a film as a comedy-drama it has to be funny. I don't think there was a solid laugh in the entire film.As to the romance, audiences generally root for a likable couple that they want to see get together. Both characters were horrible. David, unemployed and not anxious to change that status, verbally abuses Batya, calling her dingbat and bitch repeatedly. Batya is not much better. They argue constantly and neither character was exactly a great wit! Even so, as a drama this can all still be salvaged if the characters change during the course of the movie. They don't. David gets successful by pure chance and by clinging to the coattails of a friend.Batya leaves him (the only smart thing she did in the whole film) and returns to her home town.Somehow they decide to get married in the end. Here's wishing they don't have any kids!

David, portrayed as an auto mechanic who dreams of being a magician is actually an verbally and sexually abusive boyfriend with delusions of competence. His live in enabler, characteristically and delusionally, hopes that he will change. The only magic in the film is his "magical" and unexplained rise to success. To be fair some individuals who watched it with me called it "poignant" and "interesting." However NO ONE called it "funny." The ending offers little help in giving meaning to the film. Implied oral sex and graphic anal sex contribute nothing to the vapid content.

This movie is one of the best I have seen in 1997. Julie Shlez, a wonderfully gifted documentary creator made her first motion picture and proved again, that even with a limited budget one can make a little cinematic masterpiece. Shlez creates magic on screen. Her film is funny, sad and funny once again. The actors are wonderful: Zvika Hadar is amazing, Esty Zakheim is unforgettable and Orli Perl is so so sweet and sexy. "Afula Express" touches your soul so deeply, you will never forget this unique feeling. My grade: **** 1/2 (out of *****)

"pick a card", very funny & israeli film about couple from AFULA very little city that think they could find happiness in the big city TEL AVIV. the man have a dream that he could be wizard & make a lot of money but the reality is more hard then what he dreamed. very good movie i recommend with all my heart.