Yossi & Jagger - Eine Liebe in Gefahr

Do not be deceived - I'll start with the low points and rise to apotheosis. Do not miss this flick!

Surprisingly enough, gay men and women have been allowed to serve in the Israeli army for over 2 decades now (for very pragmatic reasons, I'm sure). The army actually authorized the making of this film, based on a true story. Eytan Fox follows up with his favorite theme of sexual identity within the ranks of the army: here we see a gay couple, two officers, whose love shares its space with an ever-escalating Israelo-Arab conflict. The movie is filmed in this army outpost in the mountains bordering Lebanon, in the middle of Winter (thus the snow, that one seldom relates to the Middle East).

The theme is ambitious. Yet, it turns out that, for commercial reasons, the movie's 65 minutes elapse too fast. There is no time to develop the story. Not the story of the conflict, not the story of the different characters - so many deeply interesting -, and especially not the story of Yossi and Jagger. And boy, would we like to know more about them! These 65 minutes may have been OK for the theatre play that staged in Tel Aviv before the movie opened, but on screen it just leaves your mouth watering for more. I wished some scenes would have been deeper and more intense (the get-together at the end, or that last key-scene at night).

Despite all this, if you can forgive small formal nuisances, and get over that irritating camera-in-hand that works for Dogma but not for Fox, this film is a must-see! For the first 30 minutes of it, I had a disbelieving smile on my lips, and really wanted to joint the Israeli army - mind you, I'm neither Jewish, nor Israeli, and they would never take me! Yet life in the barracks seems so laid-back and so easy-going , so much in contrast with the madness of the conflict, with crazy girls and sexy boys, cheesy music in Hebrew and techno parties in the mountain clusters, white snow and great landscape, wild rabbits and sushi at dinner... Provided my officers looked as cute and handsome and so-damn-sexy-and-hugable-Yehudi-Levi (Jagger), of course I would enlist.

Mild as it may seem at times, it's perhaps the most consequent movie on a gay theme that I have ever seen. No tragic queens, no dramatic depressions and people who threaten to slid their wrists open. Yossi & Jagger's love is real and palpable, even if semi-secret (I think everyone new, anyway). The actors are superb, natural-born to the task, and that shows. One can easily relate with many of the characters - people whom we forget are people, just because they are in the army, just because they are in a war. The scene where Yossi and Jagger kiss in the snow is surprising, and by far the most sensuous thing I've seen in cinema in years! Absolutely delicious, playful, teasing, masterful. A classic in the future, I'm sure! Maybe because of that particular scene, one can survive as a viewer to the end of the movie, and still feel light as a feather. It all seems to end up in a good note, in spite of the circumstances.

The film as is, is not brilliant, but is at times a strike of genius! It's also a splash in the pond, showing you the dichotomies of a society we grew to relate with war and nothing else. Yossi & Jagger is a tender, sweet, sensuous, pure, honest, scrumptious, beautiful, sexy and consequent movie. I am a fan of Eytan Fox as of tonight, no doubt about that! Watch it, watch it, watch it!!! (the extras on the DVD give you even greater insight into his work). The storyline won't leave you that soon, and the main theme-song will replay on your head for weeks to come... cheesy and queenly as it may be ('Come', by Rita)!

Watching a film like this oddly makes you feel as good as when you watched 'Amelie'! I don't say this often, but I'd be ready to watch it all over again.

Ever since seeing this sublime film last weekend, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. A friend and I saw "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" the following day and while somewhat amusing, it failed to move me and the acting and too-clever style got to be more annoying than interesting after a while. Y&J has "ruined" it for me: after seeing films so pure, so natural, so "simple", it's almost unbearable to watch anything else. It also cemented the fact that all you need for a truly moving film is (no kidding!) a good story, good characters, good acting (not stars hamming it and ISO of an Oscar - gag), good cinematography, a good script with good dialogue and good direction. Simple, non? Then why is it that so many films fail so miserably on all or several of these points? Makes ya wanna weep.

Y&J is a so heartbreakingly beautiful. I'm not a big fan of handheld camera cinema verite BS, but there is a scene in which it really does work to great effect: Yossi & Jagger having a playful snowball fight, putting down their weapons, laughing like kids, having a blast.

There are just a few select locations, and a small ensemble of actors and that's all that's needed. The actors are so natural, you almost think it's a documentary. Music is used to great effect, not giving us cues as to when we're supposed to cry and when we're supposed to laugh, but is instead perfectly weaved into the story fabric as when Jagger (so named because he has rock star charisma and looks) changes the words to a pop song and singing not in the rain, but the snow.

The two actresses and their male colleagues are all young (except the Colonel character, a big beefy macho guy) and very impressive. How I wish that we would see actors like this instead of the bore-me-to-death Hollywood stars.

This is also an incredibly sexy film with looks and unspoken words that are more erotic than anything that's coming out of Hollywood where the stunt-butts and stunt-boops in flattering light and every bump and grind choreographed to death have the unintended and complete opposite effect on me, namely laughter and/or yawning. The scene with Yossi & Jagger kissing in the snow is the most tender AND sexy I have seen in ages, and the gender of the participants is completely irrelevant. It's beautiful, period. (I'm female and straight by the way).

The film also has a very satisfying end, which I of course won't reveal, but I just want to say that it was the perfect way to end it: on a upbeat note, but not in a corny gag-me way.

90 minutes and I was mesmerized and am still haunted by this film. Who needs freakin' 2 hrs. plus, a huge production, big stars? Watch this film and you'll never be able to watch products off the Hollywood

assembly line again in the same way.

Oh, and did I mention that Yehudi Levi (born 1979) who plays Jagger is unbelievably to-die-for-gorgeous with a 1000 watt charisma and a sweetness that makes you want to hug him, after you kiss him all over? Straight women and gay men, beware - he will break your heart.

Hope we get to see him and some of the other cast members in other films, but if Hollywood comes calling Yehudi - give 'em the finger, will ya? Hook up with someone in Europe and make a great movie there. Please?!

YOSSI & JAGGER (Yossi VeJager)

Aspect ratio: 1.37:1

Sound format: Stereo

Originally produced for Israeli television but screened theatrically in Tel Aviv to great success before opening nationally to even greater commercial and critical acclaim, this engaging drama from director Eytan Fox has been hailed in some quarters as one of the best gay movies ever made. Running a mere 65 minutes, the film divides its time equally between a platoon of soldiers operating on the Israeli-Lebanese border, and the two men at the center of a clandestine relationship.

Yossi (Ohad Knoller) is a brooding commander who feels constrained by his role as a macho authority figure to conceal his sexuality from the conscripts under his command, while Jagger (Yehuda Levi, a popular Israeli heartthrob whose career was kickstarted by an appearance in the TV soap opera "Cheers for Love" in 2001) is one of his subordinates, a carefree guy who wants them to declare their love publicly by retiring from the Army and setting up house together. There's a now-famous scene, early in the movie, when Yossi and Jagger make love in the snow (don't get excited - all you see are some lingering kisses and the aftermath, in which the two characters are entirely at ease with one another, free from the restraints imposed by Army discipline), but their romance takes up a surprisingly small amount of the movie's running time, which appears to have been curtailed for reasons of length (there's a number of images doing the rounds from scenes which were apparently shot but didn't make it to the final print). Based on a true story, the film is warm-hearted but inconsequential, with some annoyingly jerky hand-held camera movements, and the climactic scenes are a little too restrained to be entirely successful (though Knoller, in particular, gives a truly remarkable performance in the aftermath of a devastating plot development). There's still much to admire, and any reservations are dispelled by the central romance, depicted with disarming frankness and performed with relish by Knoller and Levi. Highly recommended.

(Hebrew dialogue)

I was a little hesitant to rent this movie after seeing "Trembling Before G-D", which was a real eye-opener to me. I guess we go around with our heads in the clouds, not thinking what other homosexuals have to go thru for their religion.... But , the two movies had nothing in common except they were made in Isreal. Yossi and Jagger is a bittersweet love affair between two Isreali soldiers, very well played by Yehuda Levi , and Ohad Knoller, you could feel the love they had for each other and the hurt Jagger was going thru because they had to be so careful as they were officers. Its hard to get a real grip on the characters as its only 67 min long and leaves you grasping for more. But Eytan Fox did a splendid job with the time he had. The song that Jagger sings is haunting in the extra video on the disc. I felt that these men brought back to Isreal some hope that you can have same sex love without the terrible angst they had in Trembling Before God . I give this great little flick 41/2 of 5 8/10 and will be looking forward to seeing Eytan Foxs' new movie "Walking On Water". By the way you can get the words in English of the song Your Soul on the message boards for Yossi and Jagger on IMDb.

I'd like to start with the fact that I hate movies about military and war. We had much too many of them and they are always hard to swallow because they always end in a catastrophe. That's why I didn't want to see "Yossi and Jagger" at first. But then I read that it's supposed to be a good movie with a tender love story; I swallowed and gave it a try. I'm glad I did this. I wouldn't go so far and call the whole movie good but it does have the most touching and beautiful love story I've seen in a long time.

I think it's no secret what the movie is about: We are in a military base in Israel and ordinary young people cope with the daily horror each in their own way. They make jokes about it, try not to be serious and look for ways to not think about it the whole day. Some do it with reading, others with music, the commander with sex for we are in a mixed camp here with two girls being in it. And then there are Yossi and Jagger – close friends in the official version, closeted lovers in reality. Yossi is Jagger's boss and both are the stars in their base for in their very own way both young men are special. Yossi is the serious and more reserved one – he doesn't speak very much, always concentrates on his job and is scared to come out. Jagger (named after Mick Jagger cause he's a bit of a rock star himself) is the more flamboyant, vivid, playful and childish one – he's romantic, he is a dreamer, he makes plans for his future with Yossi and wants a love like in a Hollywood movie. It's stunning – you wouldn't guess they're a couple because they learned to hide it very well, but when they are alone you get a hint at how much they love each other. But, alas, we're in a war movie here and no matter how strong the love between the two young men is and how hopeful they are towards their future – the ugly reality will destroy it.

You might have an idea of how the movie ends and I won't spoil it for you. Despite this fact I would really recommend this movie to everyone. Also because of the two great protagonists: Israeli TV star Yehuda Levi is terrific as Jagger and the charismatic Ohad Knoller is simply wonderful as Yossi (he was awarded for his performance). Hands down for an unusual love story that will break your heart but that you simply can't help falling in love with.