Cupcakes

This candy-coated confection is so irresistible that you’re captivated by its sentiment even as you acknowledge its manipulations.

Momentarily abandoning the strain of imagining liberation within a realistically perceived Israel, Fox here settles for the ephemeral glow of an exuberant block party.

The fun comes not from the pink neon frosting, but from seeing how Fox and co-writer Eli Bijaoui use it to decorate their familiar themes of authenticity, kitsch, and what it means to have progressive pride within a changing country.

This musical comedy is sugary and sincere.

While it offers some mildly frothy diversions, the Pedro Almodovar-styled Cupcakes lacks the cinematic nutrition to overcome its empty calories.

If this Semitic “Strictly Ballroom” and its campy, colorful characters (including a hummus baron!) don’t win you over, you may want to check your pulse.

Eytan Fox opts for a thoroughly hollow rumination on pop-culture mechanics as they pertain to young, aspiring professionals.