Plot

Yossi (Ohad Knoller) is the stoic company commander of an Israeli Defense Forces unit on the Lebanese border. Jagger (Yehuda Levi), who got his nickname thanks to his fun-loving rock star appeal, is the platoon leader. They have a secret. When they walk off in the snow together, it isn't because they're on patrol--it's because they're lovers. Jagger is more gregarious. He tells Yossi that he loves him, and longs to hear Yossi say it back to him. He makes plans for their future together, urging Yossi to leave the army with him when Jagger's mandatory service is done. Yossi can't bring himself to make any promises. "This isn't some. . .American movie," he tells Jagger. The colonel (Sharon Reginiano) arrives with two female soldiers, the irrepressible sexpot Goldie (Hani Furstenberg) and her more introspective friend Yaeli (Aya Koren of Late Marriage), who harbors a serious crush on Jagger, and is herself pursued by Jagger's nosy roommate, Ofir (Assi Cohen). As the unit's perfectionist chef, Yaniv (Erez Kahana) struggles to make a sumptuous meal for the commanding officer with meager supplies, the colonel tells Yossi that Hezbollah forces are expected to cross the border, and the already exhausted unit needs to set up an ambush that night. Yossi & Jagger, directed by Eytan Fox, was a critical and commercial hit in Israel. It was shown at the 2003 Berlin International Film Festival and had its U.S. premiere at the 2003 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Review

Eytan Fox's Yossi and Jagger is an achingly tender and sweet-souled evocation of young love on the precipice of doom. Fox is aided in no small measure by his attractive and talented cast, particularly by Ohad Knoller's strong jawed performance as the seemingly typically macho Israeli officer, Yossi, and the lovely Aya Koren's turn as the naively romantic Yaeli. Avner Bernheimer's script surprisingly avoids any overt politicizing in its straightforward and engagingly naturalistic treatment of a gay love affair between two IDF commanders. The film's point-of-view is inherently political, of course, but the screenplay manages to make its points while remaining true to the well-differentiated characters and the tense situation. The sexual politics, also handled with subtlety for the most part, are at the fore. The film explores the carefully navigated intimacies of the closeted gay relationship, and also how strong intelligent women try to maintain their sovereignty in such a male-dominated environment. While the story is poignant and touching, what's perhaps most surprising about Fox's film is how light and wryly amusing it is. As in other wartime comedies (M.A.S.H comes to mind) there's an undercurrent of bitterness to the humor, but what shines through is the essential humanity of these characters, who, despite their differences, share the feeling of being someplace they'd rather not be. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Cast

• Ohad Knoller - Yossi
• Yehuda Levi - Jagger
• Assi Cohen - Ofir
• Hani Furstenberg - Goldie
• Sharon Raginiano - The Colonel
• Aya Steinovitz - Yaeli

Sharon Reginiano; Yuval Semo; Yaniv Moyal; Hanan Savyon; Erez Kahana

Credit

Amir Dov Pick - Art Director, Yael Aviv - Casting, Natan Elkanovich - Costume Designer, Shabtai Itzhak - First Assistant Director, Eytan Fox - Director, Yosef Grunfeld - Editor, Ivri Lider - Composer (Music Score), Yaron Sharf - Cinematographer, Amir Harel - Producer, Gal Uchovsky - Producer, Gil Toren - Sound/Sound Designer, Ashi Milo - Sound/Sound Designer, Ronen Nagel - Sound/Sound Designer, Avner Bernheimer - Screenwriter

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