Movie Review – Yossi and Jagger (2003)

Overall Quality 2.0 / 5.0 (meh)
Gay Content 3.5 / 5.0 (central focus on gay relationship)
Gay Positivity 1.5 / 5.0

On the plus side, the film is well-made, especially for a low budget piece. The direction and editing are sharp, and the acting high quality. All of the characters seemed very real without becoming caricatures.

But the script is woefully undercooked. I know what the movie’s about: an Israeli military unit in which two soldiers are having a secret love affair. But I don’t know what this movie is trying to say.

Some of the relationship drama feels forced, given the brevity of the movie, such as Ophir’s (Assi Cohen) anger and jealousy regarding Jagger (Yehuda Levi). But even more serious: what’s the freaking point of the film?

That we should appreciate what we have while we have it? (Yossi (Ohad Knoller) seems so bent on staying in the closet, he can only steal a few moments here and there with Jagger.) Or is that war is pointless, particularly on-going conflicts? (I don’t even know what they’re fighting about, except it’s the endless Middle Eastern conflict, and their ambush even turns into a battle without an enemy.) Maybe the film is exploring the harm done by the homophobia that forces gay soldiers into the closet? The final scene in the movie just cemented my confusion. I don’t expect movies to force-feed me theme, but I do expect more than a muddy thematic mess.

As for the gay content, I enjoyed watching the relationship unfold. Ohal Knoller (Yossi) and Yehuda Levi (Jagger) had good chemistry, and I found their relationship believable and their characters engaging. But I don’t know why the movie ended the way it did. Did it have to end that way? Without knowing the point of the movie, I can’t answer that question.

Overall, you may want to check it out if you really like low-budget indie gay romances, but don’t look for a fairy tale ending. If you want to watch a smart, moving, dark drama about a gay relationship in a foreign land (well, Canada), check out “Lilies” (1996) instead.