Keeping their relationship a secret proves challenging for two gay army officers when a pair of female soldiers visit their outpost in this acclaimed drama from Israel. Originally conceived as a television movie, the film runs less than 70 minutes - something that ensures that the film never outstays its welcome. The short length does have its drawbacks though; mostly significantly, the title characters spend very few moments alone together, which makes it a tad hard to feel their genuine love for another. The two women also receive an inordinate amount of screen time, which they mostly spend gossiping about men. That said, they are pivotal to the plot as the crush that one of them has on one of the gay soldiers leads to jealousy and confusion in the other, played by Ohad Knoller. The film is furthermore topped off by a powerful final scene in which Knoller's silent stares (and everything left unsaid) convey all; his simple painful looks as he listens to one of the female soldiers in this final scene are especially moving. Add in some excellent tracking shots that walk with the soldiers through the bunkers and a memorable ambush scene, and this is a film with surprising quiet power. It is highly likely that it would have made a more satisfying emotional roller-coaster if played out at full length with deeper characterisations, but it remains a nifty short feature as it is.
Review of Yossi & Jagger
