Yossi & Jagger (2002)

Director:

Eytan Fox

Writer:

Avner Bernheimer (writer)

Release Date:

1 August 2002 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

Love should never be a secret.

Plot:

Romance blooms between two soldiers (Knoller, Levi) stationed in an Israeli outpost on the Lebanese border.

Plot Keywords:

Israeli | Army | Military | Israeli Army | Soldier

Awards:

9 wins

Cast

Ohad Knoller	...	Yossi
Yehuda Levi	...	Lior Amichai 'Jagger'
Assi Cohen	...	Ophir
Aya Steinovitz	...	Yaeli
Hani Furstenberg	...	Goldie
Sharon Raginiano	...	The Colonel
Yuval Semo	...	Psycho
Yaniv Moyal	...	Samoncha
Hanan Savyon	...	Adams
Erez Kahana	...	Yaniv the Cook
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shmulik Bernheimer	...	Shmuel 'Shmulik' Amichai
Yael Pearl	...	Varda Amichai (as Yael Perl Becker)

Also Known As:

Yossi VeJager (Israel: Hebrew title)
Yossi and Jagger (International: English title) (informal title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

65 min | Israel:67 min

Country:

Israel

Language:

Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:Unrated | USA:R | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 | Brazil:14

Company:

Israel Cable Programming (ICP)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ofir is listening to music with Yaeli in the bedroom, the CD display shows the number 2, while there's a music playing. A few moments later, the number on the display is 3, though the song is still the same.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ahava Colombianit (2004)

Soundtrack:

Bo

Dogme style film from Israel will haunt you for all eternity

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?!