James (Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe) is a young man from a Zulu African village who has been sent by his Christian community to Jerusalem. This gentle and optimistic pilgrim intends to become a pastor, and he can't wait to see the holy city. However, his dreams are dashed when a cynical Israeli immigration official sends him to a Tel Aviv prison with the words, "I know you're here to make money." He is bailed out by Shimi (Salim Daw), a hustler who pays illegals dirt cheap wages to work in his cleaning business. This shrewd man takes a fancy to James who can speak English and whose work ethic is commendable.
Impressed by the young African's attitude, he sends him over to do chores for his feisty father Sallah (Arie Elias), who loves to play backgammon. The old man is quite fascinated when James demonstrates great skill in throwing the dice, and he makes good use of him in some games with his friends. Sallah likes the African so much that he convinces his son to send him over to create a garden in his backyard. Over time, the old man teaches James not to become a "frayer," someone who lets other people take advantage of him. Sallah models another dimension of this aggressive way of life by stealing plants from a nearby housing development. There's an ongoing battle between Shimi and Sallah. The son wants the old man to sell his property and go live in a home for the aged. Of course, he'd handle the million dollars profit from the transaction.
Israeli writer and director Ra'anan Alexandrowicz sees this parabolic film as "a reflection of my feelings about society — especially about the powerful interplay between economic factors and almost any other social behavior." James dutifully pays off Shimi for rescuing him from prison and keeps in the back of his mind the goal of going to Jerusalem. But money soon consumes his consciousness as he tastes the pleasures of new clothes and cash in his pockets. When Shimi fires the man overseeing his operation of illegal workers, he puts James in charge. But egged on by Sallah, who tells him to use his brains so he doesn't have to work so hard, the African starts his own cleaning business in secret. The minister of the black congregation he attends in Tel Aviv even supplies him with men who want to work. Suddenly the dream of Jerusalem fades into the background as James finds himself caught up in his obsession to make more money. This moral education opens his eyes to the dangers of consumer society and the frayer ethic of doing anything to get ahead.
As on all pilgrimages, James is tested, tried, and purified on his journey. This is a fascinating movie with excellent acting by the three main characters.
The DVD has few extras, just the trailer and a bouncy music video, "Jerusalem," performed by Marry Kusi and Kate Asner.
