‘Bros’ AKA ‘Ba’esh Uvamayim’ is a Hebrew-language Netflix comedy series set in the Israeli city of Jerusalem. It follows two childhood friends and avid fans of Beitar Jerusalem Football Club, Nisso and Pini, who are also local bar owners in the Israeli capital. Each of them comes across several problems that threaten their business, and relationships as friends and surrounding loved ones. With their ongoing concerns, they decide to take their minds off their problems, by traveling to Kraków for a football match.
The show is the first Hebrew and Israeli original production for Netflix, created by veteran Israeli TV actors Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon. The duo also wrote, directed, and acted in the show as the lead characters, Nisso and Pini. Due to the soccer fan culture depicted in the show and the relevant themes it explores, viewers will be interested to know if ‘Bros’ is based on real-life events.
Pini and Nisso: A Friendship Based on Reality
As advanced by the creators, ‘Bros’ is inspired by true events. While elements of the show have been embellished for dramatic effect, various incidents have been directly inspired by Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon’s friendship and experiences together. The series is set around the two long-term friends and their deep passion for the Beitar Jerusalem F.C. soccer team. Set in 2008, Nisso and Pini own a bar called “Piniones” in the capital, which they have been running for the past 10 years, however, in reality, Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon used to co-own a bar in Givatayim, a city east of Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv. “Piniones,” in the show, serves as a representation of the bar they previously owned.
An homage to their experiences together, Guy and Hanan’s friendship is depicted through the lead characters Nisso and Pini. While the intro sequence to each episode showcases Nisso and Pini’s history of friendship through a series of images of them together dating back to 1979, in reality, Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon have been close friends for over 25 years. The duo had met during their time in acting school and have been tight ever since. Their creative persona shines bright in ‘Bros,’ as they theatrically revisit some of their most memorable experiences tweaked and altered for the big screen while creating new and slightly unrealistic sequences that perfectly fit the show’s comedic tone.
From the issues they face as business owners, to the drunken antics they often partake in, the duo’s journey as friends is as strong on-screen as it is off-screen. In the show, the duo has to deal with numerous issues that involve, the police, shady drug peddlers, inquisitive insurance investigators, black market car dealers, and a gang of dangerous neo-Nazis. While this may not be an accurate representation of their adventures together, Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon have used their decades’ worth of experience in Israeli television to craft a tale that’s hilarious and relatable for both speakers of the language as well as international viewers.
According to the Times Of Israel, the series initially sought to cater to audiences in all 190 nations on Netflix’s roster. However, the creators made it a point to retain its original Israeli feel by creating sequences that are profoundly local and relatable to the Israeli audience. Partly shot in Jerusalem, residents of the city will likely recognize the capital’s streets and neighborhoods portrayed in the series, and will easily relate to the in-flight “kosher” meal that Nisso orders because other religious passengers tend to avail their meals first. Small details such as this are scattered across the show’s runtime and do a fine job of providing reliability.
Apart from their adventures as friends, they also come across hurdles in their personal lives as depicted in the show. From sparsely having trust issues to hiding secrets from each other and having problems with their better halves, the duo experiences a fair share of ups and downs that sometimes challenge their everlasting friendship. These challenges that they face in the show are theatrical representations of the obstacles faced by Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon in real life.
The show additionally showcases the real-life matches between Beitar Jerusalem F.C. and Wisła Kraków for the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round that took place in August 2008. With a historically accurate scoreline, Beitar Jerusalem F.C. won the first leg of the qualifiers at their home ground against the Polish side, beating them 2 to 1. This means that the team would just need to draw the second game, which was away at Wisła Kraków’s home stadium in Kraków. However, as Nisso and Pini attend the game, they see their beloved Beitar Jerusalem F.C. lose the match, conceding 5 goals to nil and losing 6 to 1 on aggregate. The team would go on to be eliminated from the Champions League.
The soccer fandom that Nisso and Pini share with other patrons and friends of the bar undoubtedly depicts the real-life football culture present in Israel. It theatrically represents the fandom surrounding the Beitar Jerusalem F.C. team and the traveling supporters that follow them into every match. Whether it be away at the biggest clubs in Europe or at home to their arch-rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C., these fans will follow no matter what. As Nisso and Pini share an inextinguishable love for each other, they equally share that love for their beloved Beitar Jerusalem F.C., just as Guy Amir and Hanan Savyon do in real life.
