THE STORY – An inside look into the corruption charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through leaked police interrogation videos.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Alexis Bloom (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 113 Minutes
A good documentary needs a good subject, one that’s captivating and worthy of cinematic investigation. “The Bibi Files” has no issue in that regard, as it covers the legal troubles and catastrophic actions of Benjamin Netanyahu, the controversial long-serving prime minister of Israel. The indicted leader’s corruption charges are a complicated web of bribes and services that, as the film shows, is essentially a shocking yet unsurprising system of rich people giving each other gifts in exchange for political favors. It’s the kind of governmental scandal that appears ridiculous and bloodless on the surface but has ripple effects that endanger the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians. And yet, “The Bibi Files” trudges through the case with all the energy of a pre-lunch business meeting. Alexis Bloom’s documentary fails to craft a compelling story out of its infuriating subject, instead spending most of its time side-stepping the tragic, lethal effects of Netanyahu’s corruption in favor of dry commentary and repetitive interrogation footage.
The film’s greatest coup is the fact that it features leaked police interrogation videos of powerful Israeli politicians and their confidants, which are being shown in the movie for the very first time. Any documentarian would be thrilled to uncover such materials. Still, Bloom merely inserts the footage throughout the documentary and lets them play out in long stretches, leading to a dulling effect. Despite the intrigue suggested by the smuggling of this video evidence, the charges leveled against Netanyahu mostly concern gifts he received (and, at times, demanded) from high-level power players hoping to gain trust and favor. In essence, most of the film focuses on Netanyahu being given expensive cigars and his wife Sara receiving jewelry and luxury champagne by the case. This is not to suggest that such slimy political scandals can’t be interesting, but the film’s dutiful, by-the-numbers journey through Netanyahu’s corruption fails to portray it in an engrossing way.
“The Bibi Files” spends most of its time ignoring what most associate Netanyahu with: his country’s assault on the very existence of the Palestinian people, specifically the bombardment of Gaza that continues to this day. It’s difficult to get too wrapped up in the disappointing but standard levels of political crime that the film covers while knowing that Netanyahu is capable of and responsible for much more violent and aggressive wrongdoing. Towards the end of the documentary, it shows how Netanyahu surrounded himself with far-right extremists after his indictment, who helped turn the post-October 7th attacks on Gaza into an endless conflict hellbent on annihilating the Palestinian people. The film makes mention of the fact that Netanyahu personally benefits from a forever war that can distract from his corruption charges; as one interviewee summarizes, “He survives in a state of war, he survives in a state of instability, he survives when we fight each other, he survives when our enemies fight each other.” But “The Bibi Files” is not interested in placing this conflict in any historical context, instead framing it as merely a casualty of Netanyahu’s ruthless desire for unending, unimpeachable power.
The documentary’s strangely linear method also contributes to this problem. After setting up the basic details of the trial, the film goes through Netanyahu’s life in order, showing how he became the ruthless leader he’s known as today. But again, the film ignores geopolitical context for most of this, instead framing Netanyahu as a singular disreputable entity rather than something more broadly indicative of the region’s politics. The film even features interviews with some of his former colleagues who often stood quite literally alongside him, and most of them express surprise – feigned or otherwise – at the extent of his unsavory dealings. It’s difficult to watch these interviews and not feel that the interviewees (and, by extension, the film itself) are being intentionally obtuse, perhaps even playing dumb to avoid suspicions being launched in their direction.
As one of the interview subjects puts it, “The facts are really kind of simple.” It’s true: as laid out by this documentary, it’s a clear case of favor-currying corruption and slimy bribery. But, as with all things in the world of politics, the facts are only the beginning. “The Bibi Files” is a surface-level look at a powerful individual at the center of a world of wrongdoing. Netanyahu is a corruptible force for evil, but this film would have you believe that he’s a mere aberration in a nation’s history rather than the logical result of its misdeeds and violent actions.
