Blush (2015) Movie Review

『A Harsh Chronicle of a Girl Running Away Becoming a Star』

🎥 Movie Overview

🎬 Title: Barash (Original: ברש, English: Blush, 2015)
🌍 Country: 🇮🇱 Israel
🎞️ Genre: Drama / Coming-of-Age / Queer Romance
⏳ Runtime: 90 minutes
📢 Director: Micheal Vinik
🖋️ Screenplay: Micheal Vinik

👩‍💼 Cast: Sivan Noam Shimon – Naama Barash
Hadas Jade Sakori – Dana Hersh

🧩 In-Depth Story Exploration (Spoilers)

🧭 Naama Lost Between Reality and Pressure

Teenager Naama experiences psychological turmoil amid family conflicts, a missing older sister, and a lackluster school life. She tries to momentarily escape reality through alcohol, drugs, and sex. Israel's militarized societal structure adds further pressure, and Naama wanders through this gap seeking her purpose and the life she truly wants.

🔥 Dana as a Symbol of Freedom and Destruction

Dana appears as a ray of light for Naama but carries deep wounds and insecurities herself. Provocative and sexually open, Dana draws Naama in with intense attraction, yet her self-destructive tendencies begin to create cracks in their relationship.

💔 The Passionate but Unstable Side of Love

The relationship between the two girls is passionate yet precarious. Naama strives to find stability in Dana, but Dana’s wandering and fears act as destabilizing forces. Within this chaos and pain, Naama gains her first determination to take control of her own life.

🦋 Emotional Resonance and Significance

🎬 Desire and Rebellion in the 'Here and Now'

• Roles of 'Barash' and 'Dana': Naama confronts true desire for the first time through Dana. Dana leads Naama into a world of rebellion, acting as a 'free spirit' and a catalyst for the eruption of Naama’s suppressed emotions. However, Dana herself carries a complex past, and their relationship is shaken by Dana's capriciousness and instability.
• Present over Past or Future: The relationship between Naama and Dana is grounded in the intense desire and momentary emotions of the 'here and now', rather than lessons from the past or expectations for the future. The two indulge in alcohol, drugs, and a free-spirited lifestyle in Tel Aviv clubs.

🌟 The Presence of Socio-Political Background

• Rebellion as an Escape: Naama’s acts of rebellion (drinking, drug use, sexual exploration) are not merely teenage defiance but a desperate escape from a conflict-filled home and rigid societal structure.
• Family and Military: Scenes such as Naama's missing sister during military service and her father’s explicit hatred toward Arabs establish the backdrop of Israel’s militarized society and ethnic conflict.

🎥 Evaluation and Limitations

• Outstanding Acting and Authenticity: Directed by lesbian filmmaker Micheal Vinik, the sexual scenes portray 'perfection in imperfection' filled with awkwardness, clumsiness, and communication, earning critical praise.
• Concise and Refined Direction: Despite a small budget, the film focuses visually and emotionally on the actors' performances, conveying the story in a vivid and simple manner.
• Limitations: Some critics pointed out that the socio-political background (missing sister, Arab-related issues) did not integrate organically into the main narrative, remaining peripheral. Additionally, the story follows somewhat clichéd tropes and was said to lack emotional oomph.

🎯 Personal Rating (Preference-Based)

💕 Love Scene Level: ♥♥♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★