Brutal and searing are two words that are sure to bandied about with regards to 15 Years, the Israeli drama that drops onto DVD/VOD today. Both of those monikers are totally earned, though I myself would add a couple more, astoundingly human.
Yoav and Dan seem to the picture of a perfect gay couple. They’re both immensely successful, an architect and lawyer respectively, and have been together for 15 years. However, the cracks begin to show when Yoav’s best friend Alma announces that she’s pregnant. Dan is thrilled, parental urges beginning to awaken inside him, but Yoav couldn’t be more disappointed. Yoav starts letting the demons from his past whisper into his ear and soon starts to unravel his life to the point of utter destruction.
I use astoundingly human because 15 Years is movie that forces you to witness the highs and incredible lows that we as a species are capable of. Writer/director Yuval Hadadi, in quite a stellar debut, does not shy away from those awkward and mean moments that sometimes plague friendships, and keeps our gaze trained on the scene. No matter how tough the movie gets, how poorly the main character handles his destructive nature, he won’t let us look away. But it’s to Hadadi’s credit that this isn’t some morose piece. There’s a sterling scene in the aftermath of a party when Dan is incredibly angry and claims to have a headache, Yoav silently brings him some aspirin and water. It’s not a complete reconciliation but one that befits the characters that he’s created and the mood with which he handles them.
In recent memory, I cannot think of a character more self-destructive and abrasive than Yoav. He is like shard of glass come to life, beautiful but dangerous if aimed in the right direction, and it is a testament to the magnificent performance by Oded Leopold that you continue to lean and want to watch what happens next. He makes the character’s quietness and standoffishness magnetic, but like Yoav, never lets you forget there’s a bruised human lurking under that tough shell.
His sparring partners are equally up to the task of delivering this story as the ensemble is top-notch. As Dan and Alma, Udi Persi and Ruti Asarsai have to weather the storm from Yuval and both manage to dig into their roles with aplomb. They both find ways to show how though they are entirely exasperated by Yoav, that the deep love can’t be broken. It’s a delight to see such soulful performances that manage to be empathetic and also showcase their characters extremely strong backbones.
Every single glance, pause, and tongue lashing in 15 Years is imbued with the 15+ year history of these characters, and it is truly a sight to see.