Not Quite Paradise

Not Quite Paradise is a 1985 British comedydrama directed by Lewis Gilbert. It was originally released in Europe under the title Not Quite Jerusalem, adapted by Paul Kember from his 1982 play of the same name.

Six naive British and American volunteers arrive on kibbutz Kfar Ezra for a working holiday, exchanging their labour for the opportunity to experience firsthand its unique collective lifestyle. When Mike Sam Robards, a young medical student, falls in love with Gila Joanna Pacua, the Israeli girl who is organizing the volunteers work and accommodation, he must choose between a life with her and returning home.Not Quite Paradise received very poor reviews. Nina Darnton of The New York Times panned the film as an example of a good idea spoiled by a hackneyed, heavyhanded script, awkward directorial pacing and posed acting. . . The script, while trying to humorously characterize national stereotypes succeeds only in being insulting. Joe Baltake of Philly.com called it annoyingly schizophrenic thuddingly humorless when it isnt shockingly offensive. In a savage review in the Los Angeles Times, Patrick Goldstein argued that an awkward and uneven script, a paucity of intriguing characters and an overwrought soundtrack of quivering violins delivers a dreary, clichridden film with all the wallop of a sheaf of crumbling parchment paper. ........

Source: Wikipedia