Pigumim

"Scaffolding" (2017 release from Israel) brings the story of Ashed Lax (played by... the real-life Asher Lax--more on that later), depicted in the movie as a high school kid who also works in his dad's scaffolding business on various construction sites. Asher gets into trouble at school due to his short temperament or pent-up anger, we're not sure. One of Asher's HS teachers, a guy named Remi, takes an interest in Asher and his misfit classmates. At this point we're not even 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: at the recent screening where I saw this, the movie was introduced by Galit Roichman, an Israeli film expert (and member of the Israeli Academy). She informed us that the movie's director Matan Yair used to be a HS teacher, and the script was inspired in part by his real-life student Asher Lax. When looking to cast the movie version of Asher Lax, Yair ended up casting the real life Asher Lax, even though he is now clearly much older. Roichman provided a ton of other interesting tidbits and I couldn't wait to see the film. And then... nothing. I kept waiting for a spark to ignite the movie, but it just didn't happen. There was no rhyme or reason for Asher's attitude and lashing out, and I never connected emotionally with any of the story or the characters. What a major disappointment this movie turned out to be!

I saw the movie recently as part of the 2018 Jewish & Israeli Film Festival here in Cincinnati. Apparently "Scaffolding" picked up a bunch of awards in Israel (and perhaps elsewhere), and it baffles me. I did not enjoy the movie, sadly. Viewer beware.

Building a framework for life! 17-year-old Asher from Israel is a typical problem student who is short-tempered and has great difficulty concentrating. His father has a scaffolding company and is doing everything he can to ensure that Asher can soon become his successor. Educational content just gets in the way! However, a dedicated teacher (Ami SMOLARTCHIK) manages to get Asher interested in literature and history. By studying ancient dramas and Chekhov's stories, Asher increasingly begins to ask himself and those closest to him questions. But then something unexpected happens...

Israeli director Matan YAIR took an unusual approach to his film. The actor Asher LAX essentially plays himself as the 17-year-old he once was. At the time of filming he was already visibly older than he was back then, which initially took a bit of getting used to, but the concept works. Little by little, the audience discovers the reasons for the protagonist's impetuous behavior in this quasi-documentary drama. It is so worth seeing and enlightening that the film was invited to one of the side rows at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017.

Recommended!

We are so lucky to have films like this being made. Lax's acting was so so good. Sad to see the film ending, you are so caught up in the intensity of what is--ironically--a simple story.

The movie does a decent job of portraying teenage angst and malcontent from a kid from a "tough family life". But Asher's outbursts get less and less interesting and more idiotic. The unexpected loss of his mentor makes no sense and also doesn't really drive the plot. If that character stayed, it could've been a fairly decent, stereotypical "teenager makes tough choice between two life paths".

The ending as well was extremely underwhelming, as it attempts to establish an emotional scene dialogue/monologue with subpar timing and no follow up.

Israeli and Jewish films deserve much more than this drivel. The only thing going for it is the production value, which is decent.

As teacher, I saw this film with interest. Because , chaotic at the first sigh, confuse and difficult to define as expected film, it is realistic, bitter and clear. And inspired. A young man between the expectation of his father, force of seduction of his teacher, angry and its forms of expression, not so rare to his age. And the decent performance of Asher Lax. When you live in the high school universe, the only critic about "Scaffolding" is its realism, remembering more a documentary. But the result is a beautiful one. Vocational education represents the answer for the older Asher Lax as high school student and d the manner to teach of his favorit teacher. So, a good film about an age, confusion defining it and the answers to near challenges.