Yossi (2013)
82%RT Audience Score: 71%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 1 nomination
Smart, moving, and deeply empathetic, Yossi is a thoughtful examination of love and grief
Yossi is like a warm hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a while – it’s comforting, familiar, and leaves you feeling good. The film delicately balances humor and emotion, and Ohad Knoller’s performance as Yossi is nothing short of wonderful. It’s a simple story about the complexities of being gay, but it’s told with such heart and insight that it feels like something special. And that ambiguous ending? Perfect. It’s a reminder that life is messy and complicated, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful.
Production Company(ies)
MSNBC Films,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language and some sexual content
Year of Release
2002
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.37 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):Hebrew
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Country of origin:Israel
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): May 21, 2013
Genre(s)
Drama/LGBTQ+
Keyword(s)
Yossi, Drama, Lgbtq+, 1h 23m, starring Lior Ashkenazi, Ohad Knoller, Orly Silbersatz Banai, Oz Zehavi, Ola Schur Selektar, Meir Golan, directed by Eytan Fox, written by Itay Segal, produced by Moshe Edery, Amir Harel, reviewed by Linda Barnard, Rick Groen, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, Stephanie Merry, Ben Sachs, Loren King, Nicholas Bell, Daniel Green, Steve Erickson, John A Nesbit, Glenn Dunks, Jamie S Rich, genre, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, love, grief, Tel Aviv, emotional slumber, closeted gay doctor, woman from the past, emotionally charged reunion, awaken, Hebrew, Moshe Edery, Amir Harel, Itay Segal, May 21, 2013, $116.2K
Worldwide gross: $351,707
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $583,328
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,703
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 63,613
US/Canada gross: $267,005
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $442,845
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,354
US/Canada opening weekend: $19,395
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $32,168
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,347
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Ohad Knoller – Yossi
Orly Silbersatz Banai – Varda
Oz Zehavi – Tom
Ola Schur Selektar – Nina
Meir Golan – Nimrod
Eytan Fox – Director
Moshe Edery – Producer
Amir Harel – Producer
Itay Segal – Writer
Director(s)
Eytan Fox
Writer(s)
Itay Segal
Producer(s)
Moshe Edery, Amir Harel
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (5)
Knoller is wonderful as the emotionally cut-off, yet vulnerable Yossi, who yearns for something more from life, but feels both terror at the prospect and unworthiness to claim it.
March 22, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Linda Barnard
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Yossi is an early spring breeze of a film – too delicate to be substantial but definitely holding the promise of warmth.
March 22, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Rick Groen
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
It’s serious about its characters and their emotions, but still finds room for humor.
March 8, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
“Yossi” has an air of lightness but never feels insignificant.
March 8, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Stephanie Merry
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Eytan Fox depicts modern gay life and contemporary Tel Aviv with sympathy and knowing insight, and he excels at creating casual rapport among actors; yet in film after film he undermines these gifts with hamfisted melodramatic plotting.
March 7, 2013
Ben Sachs
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Knoller manages to make even a withdrawn character compelling, and worth rooting for as Yossi struggles to shed his shell.
March 7, 2013 | Rating: 3/4
Loren King
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Quiet and unassuming, Eytan Fox gives us a rather simple narrative about the ever changing difficulties of being gay.
August 7, 2019
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
A sensitive and emotive portrayal of one ageing individual’s journey back from the depths of grief and despair.
February 6, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Daniel Green
CineVue
The film ends on a moving, achingly ambiguous note, with Yossi getting more emotionally mature but not yet completely out of the woods.
February 21, 2018
Steve Erickson
Metro
a very real portrait of a man on the verge of accepting himself
December 29, 2013 | Rating: B+
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews
Filled with many of the awkward life moments that many gay men will recognise, as well as a freshly lensed look at the new Israel, Yossi is a strong and touching take on grief.
September 8, 2013
Glenn Dunks
Trespass
Yossi is a stronger film than its predecessor, more deeply felt and less reliant on love-story conventions.
May 8, 2013 | Rating: 3/5
Jamie S. Rich
Oregonian…
Plot
Yossi is a Commander at an Israeli outpost near Lebanon. He is however involved in a secret, passionate love affair with his second in command (nicknamed Jagger). The two will often sneak off from the outpost to spend time together. A failed ambush during a full moon leaves Jagger mortally wounded and forces Yossi to finally express his love.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Ohad Knoller as the emotionally cut-off, yet vulnerable Yossi.
Eytan-Fox.jpg
