Yossi

Set in contemporary Israel, YOSSI follows the life of the eponymous hero (Ohad Knoller), a heart surgeon who spends most of his life at work to try to compensate for a non-existent social life. Having lost his lover in combat, Yossi spends his few leisure hours watching porno films on a computer, trying and failing to find dates, and making a pilgrimage to Varda's (Orly Silbersatz's) house - Varda being the mother of his deceased lover. Eytan Fox's film is a stark depiction of loneliness - there is little or no music, and the camera scarcely departs from Yossi's face as he looks at his shapeless figure and wonders whether he will be able to escape the trauma of his loss. However the film takes an optimistic turn as Yossi travels to a resort, and on the way meets up with a group of soldiers. One of them, Tom (Oz Zehavi) takes a fancy to him - even though it takes a long time for Yossi to shed his inhibitions and respond in kind. In a consciously vulgar seaside resort, full of manufactured entertainment and artificial swimming-pools, the two of them spend the night together and subsequently take a life-changing decision. Fox's film offers hope for anyone trying to cope with the pain of losing a loved one.

The film centres around a gay man in his mid-thirties who works as a cardiologist in Tel Aviv, Israel. Still grieving his lover killed years ago, he lives a repressed and lonely life until things change in the film's second half.

This is a very compassionate film. It is occasionally satirical including a great scene that exposes the superficiality of the online dating scene. In the lead role, Ohad Knoller expresses the loneliness with much subtlety. He's quite likeable.

The film could have prolonged a passionate scene near the end. It also misses an opportunity to explore the apparent bi-curiousity of one of Yossi's colleagues. Still, it is fine entertainment. Points must be given for the avoidance of typical plotline cliches around gay characters.

I can't really remember watching a sequel of a gay film before. Either there haven't been one before or I have missed them. When I say sequel, I mean real sequel that takes the story forward and not just series like 'Eating Out'. Yossi takes the story forward from 'Yossi & Jagger', where the protagonist Jagger dies in a tragic military ambush and how Yossi is going on with his life.

Its been about 10 years since the incident had happened. Yossi is now a doctor but a very very lonely man. His anxieties are pushing their way into lonely nights with internet porn and growing detachment from his hospital's job. Yossi is still in closet, doesn't like to talk to anyone about being gay. A chance encounter with Jagger's mother at the hospital check up makes him to go to their house to tell Jagger's parents who he really is and what his relationship with Jagger was. Jagger's father is OK but the mother doesn't take it all too well. Being pushed to take a vacation, Yossi takes on a solitary road trip. He ends up picking 4 soldiers as hitchhikers who miss their bus. The groups of 4 is very very fun loving and they taunt him with the name Mozart. One of the guys in the group, Tom is gay and he and the others are very comfortable with it. Tom wants to spend time with Yossi who still prefers to be on his own just reading books but Tom won't leave him alone. Its Tom, who make Yossi come out of his cocoon and he helps Yossi evaluate his problems over a period of time and Tom helps him bring back being comfortable with who he is.

From the production values perspective, this film is Eytan Fox's best work to date. Even in terms of story and direction, it is a very accomplished work. As a viewer we really get to experience what Yossi is going through. It has been 10 years since Jagger's death but every single day, Yossi is still suffering thinking whether Jagger heard or not when he said 'I Love You'. Yossi is in denial of his nonexistent social life. Following his daily routine, the audience also sees something very humane and sad. No one would wish something like that for anyone. The inner turmoil that he goes through on whether or not to meet Jagger's parents is also done very very well. He is actually heart-wrenching. The movie then just goes in to a completely different dimension when Yossi goes a road trip. Yossi is always apologetic and ashamed of himself and his body. The young soldier Tom makes him realize that time have changed, Israel has changed and Yossi can be OK with who he is. In fact in a very touching scene when Yossi and Tom are about to get into bed, it is Tom who pushes Yossi to be comfortable with himself and his body and be proud of it. The acting from everyone is impeccable. Casuality driven Yossi, still in closet, carrying on from his military days has been acted really really well. The new guy Tom, does good job and looks cute but he does not have that mischief and innocent pure face and eyes of Jagger. He was something else.

A definite watch. I am so glad I decided to watch the prequel first and follow it up with this movie. I was able to connect with it even more and was still very very satisfied.

Yossi is a sequel to but not a continuation of Yossi & Jagger, and I don't care that this movie doesn't carry that romance to new heights of ecstasy. This is a story of what happens to Yossi later in life; the fact that ten years later Jagger isn't still an integral part of it is both normal and fine with me.

What does offend me greatly is the way Yossi is presented as if his being over 30 and slightly heavier than an anorexic fashion model makes him gross and repellent, incredibly lucky if any man even slightly younger or thinner looks at him without vomiting or at least sneering. Obesity is far too extreme a term, and even overweight is unreasonable. Yossi is a normal size, and he is by far the sexiest man in this movie. It's any other man who's lucky to get him, not the other way around.

The movie's second great offense is Lior Ashkenazi, as Yossi's pseudo-friend and fellow cardiologist Moti. Somebody in addition to Ashkenazi himself evidently finds him overwhelmingly attractive, but not me. I can't stand him. The most disgusting, most infuriating movie scene I've seen in years has him bringing a girl into the bar toilet where Yossi is peeing and trying to work up a sleazy threesome even though Yossi clearly isn't interested.

I know Moti is supposed to be disgusting, as are several others in this movie; but I already know that most people - especially straight men (and, unfortunately, most young gay men, like a smug, insufferable jerk Yossi meets online, and even the supposedly hot but arrogant and ugly soldier Tom who forces himself on Yossi near the end) - are disgusting, and having offensive behavior rubbed in my face doesn't entertain me.

I love Ohad Knoller, and the older and beefier he gets the sexier he gets, but he's wasted in this sadly and annoyingly shallow movie. Eytan Fox laid an egg this time.

OK, so here we go. Cynics amongst us may find it all a little too predictable. The concept is not original and certainly we're going to see allot more of this "ethos" in a move if you like - HOWEVER, the director has brilliantly kept the overall footage quite raw when you think of it and this does create a sense of realism to the movie.

Yossi and Jagger was a valiant attempt and it caught, I think, the emotions of many gay men who don't necessarily identify with wider gay culture. It spoke to the "man" in us if you will.

Yossi struck all the right notes. You felt his pain, his loneliness and you cheered on his ultimate revival - however, it's not a given. Not in anyway shape or form and how it happens is not predictable in the least. Outstanding positioning and an honest, thoughtful script lead to a most enjoyable movie experience.

And even for a cynical old bitch like me, I must say, I very nearly shed a tear...nearly!