Film

Lemon Popsicle

Name: Lemon Popsicle
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Released: 1978
Cast: Yftach Katzur, Anat Atzmon, Jonathan Sagall, Zachi Noy, Dvora Kedar

Gross-out comedy

A raucous 1978 Israeli comedy about three teenage boys navigating sex, crushes, and friendship in 1950s Tel Aviv. It's loose, bawdy, and genuinely funny—part coming-of-age story, part wish-fulfillment fantasy, all hormone-fueled chaos. For anyone who loves that specific flavor of adolescent humor that doesn't take itself seriously.

TMDb rating

3.1

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy raunchy, loose-limbed coming-of-age comedies where the bawdy jokes sit beside a genuine tenderness toward a lovesick kid who keeps getting humbled.

Skip it if the humor is crude and leers at its teenage girls, and the sexual farce can feel repetitive and dated if you want your comedy to be sharp or tasteful.

What it asks of you: It runs about ninety-five minutes in loose, episodic bursts, so you must go along with its shaggy, sometimes sloppy rhythm rather than wait for a tight plot.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

American Graffiti1973

Captures the same bittersweet nostalgia for youth and small-town freedom, with cruising and romance replacing ice cream parlors. Ensemble cast, killer soundtrack, genuine warmth beneath the mischief.

But Slower paced and more melancholic than Lemon Popsicle; it trades comedy for wistfulness, which some find less fun.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High1982

The spiritual American cousin: horny teens, awkward sex scenes meant to be funny, an ensemble that actually feels like friends. Same chaotic energy and genuine affection for its characters.

But Relies heavily on 1980s California teen culture; if you're not charmed by that specific world, it can feel dated and thin.

Porky's1981

Another teen sex comedy that swings for pure laughs and mostly lands them. Pranks, parties, scheming—it's dumb in the best way, with real camaraderie between the boys.

But Very crude, very interested in breasts, very little plot. If you want substance or feminism, you're looking in the wrong place.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Lemon Popsicle

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Party1980

Both are European celebrations of youth and romance from roughly the same era, trading in nostalgia and charm over plot—but La Boum inverts the gender lens, showing what this story looks like from the girl's side.

French teen romance that shares Lemon Popsicle's lightness and warmth, but focuses on a girl's perspective instead. Sophie Marceau is luminous, and it captures adolescent romance with genuine sweetness and humor—no cynicism, just feeling.

But Subtitled, slower paced, less interested in comedy and more in the actual experience of attraction. The plotting is thin, and the tone can feel slight to American audiences.

Summer of '421971

Teenage nostalgia filtered through romance and longing. Gentler than Lemon Popsicle but hits similar notes about youth, memory, and the ache of wanting something you can't have.

But Slower and more sentimental; it's a reflection on the past rather than a raucous celebration of it.

Diner1982

Ensemble piece about male friendship, romance, and growing up. Sharp dialogue, real chemistry between the cast, and that same mixture of humor and actual stakes.

But More introspective and less comedic; it's interested in what friendship means, not just in shenanigans.

The Last Picture Show1971

Bittersweet small-town youth story with sex, romance, and the end of an era. Shot in black and white, gorgeously acted, genuinely moving without losing its sense of humor.

But Darker and more serious; it's about loss and time, not the fun of being seventeen.

Goodbye, Columbus1969

Coming-of-age romance with real chemistry and a Jewish protagonist navigating class and desire. Funny, sexy, and surprisingly tender about what it means to want something you're not sure you should have.

But Very of its era in ways that feel dated; the gender politics won't sit right with modern viewers.

The Sterile Cuckoo1969

Offbeat college romance that captures the messy, awkward, hilarious reality of falling for someone. Liza Minnelli is luminous, and it has real emotional stakes beneath the comedy.

But Quirky in a way that can feel precious; the tone wavers between sincere and silly, which not everyone buys.

Grease1978

Same year as Lemon Popsicle, same era nostalgia, but through the lens of high school musical theater. Peak teen romance energy, infectious fun, and a genuine love story at its heart.

But Musical, very broad, relies on genre conventions rather than naturalism. If you don't like musicals, this won't convert you.

The Wanderers1979

Both are about groups of young men navigating friendship, desire, and identity in specific historical moments—but Lemon Popsicle plays it for laughs while The Wanderers keeps one eye on real danger and consequence.

Gang comedy-drama set in 1960s Bronx; male ensemble, ridiculous energy, real friendship beneath the posturing. Hilarious and chaotic, but with actual character development and stakes underneath.

But Grittier and more aggressive than Lemon Popsicle; the humor is blacker and the world is meaner. Also wildly politically incorrect, which some find exhausting.