Yossi & Jagger

There are so many things right with Yossi & Yagger and so many things wrong. The right things: a great idea for a film, some very good acting, totally un-Hollywood production values, engaging characters and an emotionally charged plot. The wrong things:it is far too short to fulfill all of its promise, handed-held camera techniques(Dogma style) are too intrusive and too jarring, and complex characters are introduced and left dangling.As it is, this rough sketch of love in the military is worth the watch (I was strongly affected by the relationship between these two men) but it seems as if this is the director's experimental cut: I wish I could see the finished product.

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)

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?!

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.

Eytan Fox, the talented Israeli director of the extraordinary film "Walk on Water" is a man who clearly has his feet well planted on the ground. His lyrical "Yossi and Jagger" proves he is man who can deal with a lot of controversial subjects in a realistic and convincing way.

This brief film packs a lot for a 65 minutes feature, but in spite of its short length, what comes out of the story feels real and we don't begrudge the brevity in which it was presented. The story of Yossi and Jagger is presented without phony touches, that in the hands of another director, of worse yet, a Hollywood studio, would have been meaningless.

This is the story about two men who happened to be in love and the consequences of something that goes terribly wrong that ends their involvement. The two central characters stay with the viewer for a long time, which says a lot about Mr. Fox and the way he has presented his tale about how fate intervenes in the lives of these young men.

Ohad Knoller and Yehuda Levi give good performances as Yossi and Jagger. These actors make their characters work on the movie because of the intensity of their contribution to the film.

Mr. Fox is to be congratulated for his inspired direction.