Colombian Love

An Israeli-made romantic comedy about three friends trying to bridge the gap between love, lust, and marriage, Colombian Love presents a triad of related stories. Newly married Omer (Nir Levy) is perfectly happy with his life, so when his wife starts talking about having a baby, he gets nervous. His pal Uri (Assi Cohen), tugged in different directions by his loving but domineering father and his gorgeous girlfriend (Mili Avital), worries that pretty soon he'll be forced to choose one or the other. Free-spirited Zidane (Itay Barnea), a ladies' man of the love-‘em-and-leave-‘em type, finds himself smitten all over again with the beautiful Colombian woman he left a long time ago. Israeli life and cultural attitudes are at the center of this comedy, so those unfamiliar with Jewish manners and mores may be at a slight disadvantage watching this film. But director Shai Kannot has just the right touch, and his focus on the story's universal truths help make Colombian Love accessible to international audiences. Recommended. (E. Hulse)