tomhashes

This film is such a nice sequel to the 2002 "Yossi & Jagger"! The first one had a simple and nice plot, but I had issues with the undergrad-quality cinematography, and despite apparently winning awards, I wasn't very convinced by Ohad Knoller's acting, who played Yossi in the film. This sequel, however, is exactly what I was expecting: great cinematography, a complex but lovable plot, and great acting by Ohad, who really played Yossi well in this film.

Although I believe that it's totally fine that you don't watch "Yossi & Jagger" before watching this film, watching it will definitely help you understand a lot more in the film that hasn't been explicitly stated, like why Yossi would become a doctor and why he decides to go on a trip to Sinai (Sinai?!). This film isn't fully focusing on a romantic relationship like the first one did; instead it explores how Yossi lives after the death of Lior, and everyone of us can definitely identify with some of the moments shown in the film: getting off in a dark room at night, having Chinese takeaway at home alone, and watching mindless animal documentaries. Oh, and having hookups with shallow, petty gay men. Ohad Knoller played Yossi really well in the film; display of emotions is almost effortless, and although you can argue that it doesn't take much effort to play a sad, almost-middle-aged gay man, his little smiles and at times teary eyes are proof that Ohad knows how to play a character well. I have so much respect for Ohad after watching this movie. About his weight: yes, the Yossi we see is not the same one we saw in "Yossi & Jagger", but that has helped the movie delivered some of the most precious messages we have ever heard in film history about body positivity in the gay community.

This film has a romantic plot, after all. The relationship is lovely, develops at the right pace, and most importantly, is believable. That's why I say this film will make you feel so good. It's so good that I hope it is true, and unfortunately that means we probably won't see a third movie in the making - but never mind because it is such a good wrap-up to a great story already.

The review should not end without pointing out how great the soundtrack is - a great selection of songs to accompany the story, and nice lyrics too. Yes, the fact that the film deals mainly with Yossi's inner demons may scare away a lot of potential viewers, but this film is too good to pass up. If you're looking for a slow burning love story, this movie is just for you.

I watched the movie knowing about the accusation of "pinkwashing", and having watched this movie, I have to agree to a certain extent that there is some sort of propaganda in this film. Being funded by Israel Film Fund should be a big red flag, as it had to somehow approve the script before the film got filmed. I had no idea that Israel is so gay-friendly before watching the film, but the almost rigid "Israel, gay haven; Palestine, hell on earth" seems too unrealistic, given that there are other Israeli films that say the otherwise ("Yossi & Jagger", for example). And personally I find the description of Israel as a gay haven not so credible too, given that it is a highly religious place and is somehow still socially conservative, but correct me if I am wrong.

The opening of the film resembles 2011's "Weekend" a lot, as pointed out by other reviewers too. However, don't expect "Out In The Dark" to have the same emotional depth as the other critically acclaimed film - the characters in "Out In The Dark" are almost all one- dimensional. Roy seems to exist in the film only to love Nimer unconditionally; there is no attempt to explain his love for Nimer or why he would try so hard to be together with Nimer. The plot seems out of touch with reality and even ridiculous because we all know how shallow gay men can be, and without explaining why Roy is attracted to Nimer beyond his physical beauty, the plot falls apart easily.

But this movie isn't all bad. Beyond the occasional gaps in the film, which require the audience's full attention to really understand the whole picture, the movie has touched on some universal topics in the LGBT+ community that we must all acknowledge: forbidden love, the fear of being kicked out and disowned by one's family, and the fragility of same-sex relationships. The main actors, though being limited by the feeble script, played the characters well and are obviously eye candies, so if you're watching this movie, you're in for a treat.

I would recommend this movie because it reminds us of the fact that beyond the golden surface of the contemporary LGBT+ community, there are still people in the world struggling to survive because of their sexual orientations. And the relationship portrayed in the film, though shallow, shows the strength of what we can do if we come together in this fight towards ignorance and prejudice.