Oh, impressionable teenage boys: What would you do without those kind but flawed mentors who can change your life during one magical summer? Avi Nesher’s tale of an Israeli youngster (Tuval Shafir) who falls under the sway of a mysterious, charismatic matchmaker (Adir Miller) leaves no coming-of-age cliché unmolested: First love leads to first heartbreak, important lessons are imparted in unusual (but morally superior) ways, innocence is lost, and a nostalgic look back to happier days bookends the tragedy. A former stand-up comic, Miller lends a sense of puckish mischief to his tenderhearted, troubled Cupid, yet everything else about this drama—even the cultural and spirit-of-’68 historical touches—feels like Nesher is simply mashing several stock elements together and gracelessly parading them around.
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