Written and directed by Shirel Peleg, Kiss Me Before It Blows Up tells the story of an accidental proposal, a cultural divide between two families and all the chaos that ensues with young love. For the couple at the heart of this jovial film, the legacy of the Holocaust has a strong influence over both of their backgrounds, and with ex-girlfriends popping up all over town, their sexuality is the least controversial issue of the day. The personal is political for the young lovers, as their family history threatens their upcoming nuptials.

In Kiss Me Before It Blows Up, an Israeli woman named Shira Shalev (Moran Rosenblatt) decides that it’s time for her German girlfriend, Maria Müller (Luise Wolfram), to move in to her Tel Aviv apartment after three months of dating. But as they unload their luggage, a ring falls out of Maria’s bag and Shira explodes with delight, believing she is being proposed to. Caught up in her girlfriend’s excitement, Maria goes along with it, not wishing to dampen the mood. They unpack their things above the bar where Shira works, which is owned by her Grandmother Berta (Rivka Michaeli), whose portrait hangs in the room like an omen watching over them. Shira’s younger brother, Liam (Eyal Shikratzi), decides to film a documentary on the pair for a school project, and revels in the chaos of the situation by mistranslating Hebrew to Maria, who is keen to impress her new family. Despite having been together only a few months, Shira and Maria have a strong bond even though they don’t appear to naturally “fit” together. Maria constantly raises her eyebrow at her fiancé’s nutty personality, and the whirlwind charm wins her over every time. However, the storyline becomes more complex when Berta — a Jewish holocaust survivor — strongly disapproves of Shira’s marriage because Maria is German.

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Kiss Me Before It Blows Up has a playful feel and handles its difficult subject matter sensitively, but the film struggles with its tonal rhythm. The narrative weaves between Hebrew, Arabic and German, with English usually being the shared language between the families. This causes moments of tension between the focal couple, as Maria comes to learn the etymology of insulting slang terms for foreigners that are usually directed at her by Berta. It also means that the Shalev family can discuss the situation in Hebrew without Maria being able to understand, although she does pick up on the hostile atmosphere. Peleg attempts to smooth over these moments by dousing the film in classic rom-com elements such as uplifting music and cheery chatter, but they add little to the narrative.

Michaeli entirely steals the show in Kiss Me Before It Blows Up, wearing fuchsia glasses and a bright dress, with a sarcastic tongue to match. She has perhaps the most complex role of all, having to navigate the different performances the Grandmother must put on, from being flirty yet reserved towards her secret lover, Ibrahim (Salim Dau), and then matriarchal and authoritative in front of her brood. Though Berta is the strongest presence, the brother’s documentary also plays an important role, as he documents fights between the couple and the affectionate looks they share from behind a car seat or across the table. In a serious moment, Maria admits that “It just occurred to me that I never was able to simply be sad as a person” while discussing her German heritage and the guilt she feels about her country’s history. It’s the most poignant scene in Kiss Me Before It Blows Up, as it captures the silent weight carried by young people about their ancestry.

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There is a huge lightness to Kiss Me Before It Blows Up. Peleg’s film is filled with laughter, and captures the complexities of the generational divide, but also the strength and love of families who support their children’s decisions as adults. For a debut feature, Kiss Me Before It Blows Up is a bold and assertive movie that nails a few funny moments, but it would’ve benefitted from a more nuanced exploration of its complex subject matter.

Elle Haywood (@ellekhaywood) is a freelance film/culture writer, festival juror and submissions reviewer. She is currently an Associate Editor at Take One and studying a Masters at the National Film & Television School. Her work specialises in international festivals focusing on Scandinavia and Western Europe, sociopolitical events and independent filmmaking.